A global method for relaxation in \(W^{1,p}\) and in SBV\(_p\) (Q1566369)

The authors prove that for a given functional \({\mathcal F}:\text{SBV}_p(\Omega,R^d)\times{\mathcal A}(\Omega)\to [0,+\infty]\) with the properties that it is a measure with respect to the second variable, local and lower semicontinuous in the first variable and subjected to a suitable growth condition, then a representation formula holds, i.e., \[ {\mathcal F}(u,A)=\int _A f(x,u,\nabla u)dx+\int _{A\cap S(u)}g(x,u^+,u^-,\nu _u)d{\mathcal H}^{N-1} \] for some functions \(f\) and \(g\). The method used to prove it gives a global method for relaxation of functionals and gives also new results either in the Sobolev setting, or in the BV setting, for functionals satisfying suitable growth conditions. In the last part of the article is also given an application of these results, via \(\Gamma\)-convergence, in a \(2\)-dimensional model for brittle thin films from the \(3\)-dimensional model allowing fracture.