We study the plane strain problem of a circular elastic inhomogeneity partially debonded from an infinite elastic matrix subjected to an edge dislocation at an arbitrary position. The debonded portion of the circular interface is occupied by an incompressible liquid slit inclusion. The original boundary value problem is reduced to a standard Riemann-Hilbert problem with discontinuous coefficients which can be solved analytically. The two unknown constants appearing in the analytical solution are determined by imposing the incompressibility condition of the liquid inclusion. Closed-form expressions for the internal uniform hydrostatic stress field within the liquid slit inclusion, the average mean stress within the circular elastic inhomogeneity, the rigid body rotation at the center of the circular inhomogeneity, and the two complex stress intensity factors at the two tips of the debonded portion induced by the edge dislocation are obtained.

We study the steady-state response of a three-phase composite composed of an internal hypotrochoidal compressible liquid inclusion, an intermediate isotropic elastic coating and an outer isotropic elastic matrix with simultaneous interface slip and diffusion occurring on the solid-solid interface when the matrix is subjected to a uniform hydrostatic stress field. We design a neutral coated hypotrochoidal liquid inclusion that does not disturb the prescribed uniform hydrostatic stress field in the surrounding matrix. The neutrality is achieved when the plane-strain bulk modulus or the compressibility of the elastic matrix is determined by solving a system of simultaneous linear algebraic equations for given geometric and material parameters of the coated liquid inclusion.

In the definition of Noll, a body is uniform if all points are made of the same material. As shown by Noll himself and by Epstein and Maugin, uniformity makes the Helmholtz free energy depend on the material point exclusively through a tensor field, called uniformity tensor or implant tensor or material isomorphism. Uniformity is therefore a particular case of inhomogeneity. In turn, uniformity includes homogeneity as a particular case: indeed, homogeneity is attained when the uniformity tensor happens to be integrable. This work focuses on the non-linear large-deformation behaviour of uniform dielectric elastomers. Building on the foundational works of Toupin, Eringen and others, this work integrates continuum mechanics with electrostatics to develop a finite element framework for analysing uniform dielectric elastomers. This framework allows for considering the inherent inhomogeneity in materials exhibiting non-linear electromechanical coupling such as electro-active polymers. The inhomogeneity is assumed to be self-driven, i.e., not implied by the second law of thermodynamics: rather, it depends on the torsion of the connection (covariant derivative) induced by the uniformity tensor. A MATLAB-based finite element solver is developed and applied to the simulation of an electromechanical beam-type actuator. The solver is robust and capable of addressing various simulation scenarios. Numerical simulations demonstrate the significant impact of material uniformity on actuator performance. This research provides a tool for future applications in dielectric elastomers, particularly in sensors, actuators and bio-inspired robotics.

We study the plane strain problem of a symmetric compressible liquid lip inclusion with two cusps in an infinite isotropic elastic matrix subjected to uniform remote in-plane normal stresses. The pair of analytic functions characterizing the elastic field in the matrix is derived in closed form. Explicit, elementary, and concise expressions in terms of the two Skempton's induced pore-pressure coefficients are obtained for the internal uniform hydrostatic tension within the liquid inclusion and the mode I stress intensity factor at the cusp tip. When the two remote normal stresses satisfy a single condition, the external loading will not induce any singular stress field at the cusp tips.

We use an effective medium model to study the problem of reflection of plane waves from the free surface of a half-space occupied by an elastic particulate metacomposite. This problem has received little attention in the recent literature despite its significance from both practical and theoretical points of view. Classical formulas for the reflection angles and amplitudes of the reflected waves for a homogeneous elastic half-space with no wave attenuation are extended to a particulate metacomposite half-space with wave attenuation. We also include a detailed discussion concerning the reflected plane shear wave and surface compressional wave in the case of an incident shear wave propagating at an incident angle smaller than the critical angle. The efficiency and accuracy of the model are demonstrated via detailed comparisons between the predicted phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of plane waves in an (infinite) entire space and the corresponding results available in the literature. The implications of our results on the reflection of plane waves from the free surface of a hard sphere-filled elastic metacomposite are discussed. We mention that a quantitative validation of our results cannot be made here as a result of the lack of availability of established data in the existing literature.

This paper deals with mesoscale analysis of masonry structures, which involves fracture propagation in brick units as well as along the masonry joints. The brick-mortar interfaces are incorporated in standard finite elements by employing a constitutive law with embedded discontinuity. Macrocracks in bricks are modelled in a discrete way using the same methodology, without any a-priori assumptions regarding their orientation. The proposed approach is computationally efficient as it does not explicitly require the discretization of joints. The accuracy of the approximation is first assessed by comparing the solution with a detailed mesoscale model incorporating interface elements. Later, a numerical study is conducted involving simulation of various experimental tests on small masonry assemblages, as well as single-leaf masonry walls, with running bond pattern, subjected to in-plane loading. The results clearly demonstrate the predictive abilities of the proposed simplified approach.

We derive a closed-form solution to the plane strain problem of a partially debonded rigid elliptical inclusion in which the debonded portion is filled with a liquid slit inclusion when the infinite isotropic elastic matrix is subjected to uniform remote in-plane stresses. The original boundary value problem is reduced to a Riemann-Hilbert problem with discontinuous coefficients, and its analytical solution is derived. By imposing the incompressibility condition of the liquid slit inclusion and balance of moment on a circular disk of infinite radius, we obtain a set of two coupled linear algebraic equations for the two unknowns characterizing the internal uniform hydrostatic tension within the liquid slit inclusion and the rigid body rotation of the rigid elliptical inclusion. As a result, these two unknowns can be uniquely determined revealing the elastic field in the matrix.

This brief contribution provides an overview of the Hill-Ogden generalised strain tensors, and some considerations on their representation in generalised (curvilinear) coordinates, in a fully covariant formalism that is adaptable to a more general theory on Riemannian manifolds. These strains may be naturally defined with covariant components or naturally defined with contravariant components. Each of these two macro-families is best suited to a specific geometrical context.

Non-axisymmetric frictionless JKR-type adhesive contact between a rigid body and a thin incompressible elastic layer bonded to a rigid base is considered in the framework of the leading-order asymptotic model, which has the form of an overdetermined boundary value problem. Based on the first-order perturbation of the Neumann operator in the Dirichlet problem for Poisson's equation, the decohesion initiation problem is formulated in the form of a variational inequality. The asymptotic model assumes that the contact zone and its boundary contour during the detachment process are unknown. The absence of the solvability theorem is illustrated by an example of the instability of an axisymmetric flat circular contact.

We use Muskhelishvili's complex variable formulation to study the interaction problem associated with a circular incompressible liquid inclusion embedded in an infinite isotropic elastic matrix subjected to the action of an edge dislocation at an arbitrary position. A closed-form solution to the problem is derived largely with the aid of analytic continuation. We obtain, in explicit form, expressions for the internal uniform hydrostatic stresses, nonuniform strains and nonuniform rigid body rotation within the liquid inclusion; the hoop stress along the liquid-solid interface on the matrix side and the image force acting on the edge dislocation. We observe that (1) the internal strains and rigid body rotation within the liquid inclusion are independent of the elastic property of the matrix; (2) the internal hydrostatic stress field within the liquid inclusion is unaffected by Poisson's ratio of the matrix and is proportional to the shear modulus of the matrix; and (3) an unstable equilibrium position always exists for a climbing dislocation.

We study the anti-plane strain problem associated with a -Laplacian nonlinear elastic elliptical inhomogeneity embedded in an infinite linear elastic matrix subjected to uniform remote anti-plane stresses. A full-field exact solution is derived using complex variable techniques. It is proved that the stress field inside the elliptical inhomogeneity is nevertheless uniform. The uniformity of stresses is also observed inside a -Laplacian nonlinear elastic parabolic inhomogeneity.

We propose an effective method for the solution of the plane problem of an edge dislocation in the vicinity of a circular inhomogeneity with Steigmann-Ogden interface. Using analytic continuation, the pair of analytic functions defined in the infinite matrix surrounding the inhomogeneity can be expressed in terms of the pair of analytic functions defined inside the circular inhomogeneity. Once the two analytic functions defined in the circular inhomogeneity are expanded in Taylor series with unknown complex coefficients, the Steigmann-Ogden interface condition can be written explicitly in complex form. Consequently, all of the complex coefficients appearing in the Taylor series can be uniquely determined so that the two pairs of analytic functions are then completely determined. An explicit and general expression of the image force acting on the edge dislocation is derived using the Peach-Koehler formula.

Faber series are used extensively in the application of complex variable methods to two-dimensional elasticity theory, for example, in the mechanical analysis of composite materials where Faber series representations of complex potentials lead to convenient expressions for the corresponding displacement and stress distributions. In many cases, the use of the Faber series is combined with conformal mapping techniques which "transfer" a boundary value problem defined in the elastic body (physical plane) to a simpler problem posed in an imaginary plane characterized by the conformal mapping. In several instances in the literature, however, little attention has been paid to the domain of definition of the Faber series in the imaginary plane leading often to misunderstandings and erroneous conclusions regarding the concept and feasibility of the use of the Faber series. In this paper, we present a thorough and rigorous examination of the representation of the Faber series in both the physical (occupied by the material) and imaginary (defined by the conformal mapping) plane. In addition, we show that replacing a truncated Faber series by a truncated Taylor series does not induce any additional errors in the numerical analysis of the corresponding boundary value problem. We anticipate that the discussion in this paper will help clarify any existing misinterpretations regarding the application of the Faber series and help further extend their use to a range of problems in composite mechanics.

We use complex variable techniques to study the decoupled two-dimensional steady-state heat conduction and thermoelastic problems associated with an elliptical elastic inhomogeneity perfectly bonded to an infinite matrix subjected to a nonuniform heat flux at infinity. Specifically, the nonuniform remote heat flux takes the form of a linear distribution. It is found that the internal temperature and thermal stresses inside the elliptical inhomogeneity are quadratic functions of the two in-plane coordinates. Explicit closed-form expressions of the analytic functions characterizing the temperature and thermoelastic field in the matrix are derived.

A new class of constrained variational problems, which describe fluid-driven cracks (that are pressurized fractures created by pumping fracturing fluids), is considered within the nonlinear theory of coupled poroelastic models stated in the incremental form. The two-phase medium is constituted by solid particles and fluid-saturated pores; it contains a crack subjected to non-penetration condition between the opposite crack faces. The inequality-constrained optimization is expressed as a saddle-point problem with respect to the unknown solid phase displacement, pore pressure, and contact force. Applying the Lagrange multiplier approach and the Delfour-Zolésio theorem, the shape derivative for the corresponding Lagrangian function is derived using rigorous asymptotic methods. The resulting formula describes the energy release rate under irreversible crack perturbations, which is useful for application of the Griffith criterion of quasi-static fracture.

The paper describes the displacement function approach first proposed by AJM Spencer for the formulation and solution of problems in second-order elasticity theory. The displacement function approach for the second-order problem results in a single inhomogeneous partial differential equation of the form , where is Stokes' operator and depends only on the first-order or the classical elasticity solution. The second-order isotropic stress is governed by an inhomogeneous partial differential equation of the form , where is Laplace's operator and depends only on the first-order or classical elasticity solution. The introduction of the displacement function enables the evaluation of the second-order displacement field purely through its derivatives and avoids the introduction of arbitrary rigid body terms normally associated with formulations where the strains need to be integrated. In principle, the displacement function approach can be systematically applied to examine higher-order effects, but such formulations entail considerable algebraic manipulations, which can be facilitated through the use of computer-aided symbolic mathematical operations. The paper describes the advances that have been made in the application of Spencer's fundamental contribution and applies it to the solution of Kelvin's concentrated force, Love's doublet, and Boussinesq's problems in second-order elasticity theory.

The viscoelastic Kelvin-Voigt model is considered within the context of quasi-static deformations and generalized with respect to a nonlinear constitutive response within the framework of limiting small strain. We consider a solid possessing a crack subject to stress-free faces. The corresponding class of problems for strain-limiting nonlinear viscoelastic bodies with cracks is considered within a generalized formulation stated as variational equations and inequalities. Its generalized solution, relying on the space of bounded measures, is proved rigorously with the help of an elliptic regularization and a fixed-point argument.

A major drawback of the study of cracks within the context of the linearized theory of elasticity is the inconsistency that one obtains with regard to the strain at a crack tip, namely it becoming infinite. In this paper we consider the problem within the context of an elastic body that exhibits limiting small strain wherein we are not faced with such an inconsistency. We introduce the concept of a non-smooth viscosity solution which is described by generalized variational inequalities and coincides with the weak solution in the smooth case. The well-posedness is proved by the construction of an approximation problem using elliptic regularization and penalization techniques.

Many living structures are coated by thin films, which have distinct mechanical properties from the bulk. In particular, these thin layers may grow faster or slower than the inner core. Differential growth creates a balanced interplay between tension and compression and plays a critical role in enhancing structural rigidity. Typical examples with a compressive outer surface and a tensile inner core are the petioles of celery, caladium, or rhubarb. While plant physiologists have studied the impact of tissue tension on plant rigidity for more than a century, the fundamental theory of growing surfaces remains poorly understood. Here, we establish a theoretical and computational framework for continua with growing surfaces and demonstrate its application to classical phenomena in plant growth. To allow the surface to grow independently of the bulk, we equip it with its own potential energy and its own surface stress. We derive the governing equations for growing surfaces of zero thickness and obtain their spatial discretization using the finite-element method. To illustrate the features of our new surface growth model we simulate the effects of growth-induced longitudinal tissue tension in a stalk of rhubarb. Our results demonstrate that different growth rates create a mechanical environment of axial tissue tension and residual stress, which can be released by peeling off the outer layer. Our novel framework for continua with growing surfaces has immediate biomedical applications beyond these classical model problems in botany: it can be easily extended to model and predict surface growth in asthma, gastritis, obstructive sleep apnoea, brain development, and tumor invasion. Beyond biology and medicine, surface growth models are valuable tools for material scientists when designing functionalized surfaces with distinct user-defined properties.

Despite distinct mechanical functions, biological soft tissues have a common microstructure in which a ground matrix is reinforced by a collagen fibril network. The microstructural properties of the collagen network contribute to continuum mechanical tissue properties that are strongly anisotropic with tensile-compressive asymmetry. In this study, a novel approach based on a continuous distribution of collagen fibril volume fractions is developed to model fibril reinforced soft tissues as a nonlinearly elastic and anisotropic material. Compared with other approaches that use a normalized number of fibrils for the definition of the distribution function, this representation is based on a distribution parameter (i.e. volume fraction) that is commonly measured experimentally while also incorporating pre-stress of the collagen fibril network in a tissue natural configuration. After motivating the form of the collagen strain energy function, examples are provided for two volume fraction distribution functions. Consequently, collagen second-Piola Kirchhoff stress and elasticity tensors are derived, first in general form and then specifically for a model that may be used for immature bovine articular cartilage. It is shown that the proposed strain energy is a convex function of the deformation gradient tensor and, thus, is suitable for the formation of a polyconvex tissue strain energy function.