Solution of a Riemann problem for elasticity

This paper describes a numerical algorithm for the Riemann solution for nonlinear elasticity. We assume that the material is hyperelastic, which means that the stress-strain relations are given by the specific internal energy. Our results become more explicit under further assumptions: that the material is isotropic and that the Riemann problem is uniaxial. We assume that any umbilical points lie outside the region of physical relevance. Our main conclusion is that the Riemann solution can be obtained by the iterative solution of functional equations (Godunov iterations) each defined in one- or two-dimensional spaces.Supported in part by AFOSR-88-0025.