A theory of thermoelastic materials with voids (Q1079391)

Outgoing from an energy balance and using a standard procedure, the author derives a linear theory of thermoelastic media with voids, which is supposed to be applicable to soils and rocks and artificial porous media. Thereafter, he studies uniqueness of the solution and establishes a reciprocal theorem and a variational theorem. The next topic is the propagation and growth of weak discontinuities. Besides the two classical wave speeds, a new speed belonging to the acceleration waves of compaction and distension emerges. The last section deals with the solution of three static problems, namely the deformation of the full space due to a point heat source of constant output and thermal stresses in a spherical and in a cylindrical shell. The paper is clearly written, but physical explanation and interpretation of the results is lacking.