Waves in Constrained Linear Elastic Materials

This paper deals with the propagation of acceleration waves in constrained linear elastic materials, within the framework of the so-called linearized finite theory of elasticity, as defined by Hoger and Johnson in 12, 13]. In this theory, the constitutive equations are obtained by linearization of the corresponding finite constitutive equations with respect to the displacement gradient and significantly differ from those of the classical linear theory of elasticity. First, following the same procedure used for the constitutive equations, the amplitude condition for a general constraint is obtained. Explicit results for the amplitude condition for incompressible and inextensible materials are also given and compared with those of the classical linear theory of elasticity. In particular, it is shown that for the constraint of incompressibility the classical linear elasticity provides an amplitude condition that, coincidently, is correct, while for the constraint of inextensibility the disagreement is first order in the displacement gradient. Then, the propagation condition for the constraints of incompressibility and inextensibility is studied. For incompressible materials the propagation condition is solved and explicit values for the squares of the speeds of propagation are obtained. For inextensible materials the propagation condition is solved for plane acceleration waves propagating into a homogeneously strained material. For both constraints, it is shown that the squares of the speeds of propagation depend by terms that are first order in the displacement gradient, while in classical linear elasticity they are constant. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.