Phase transitions in one-dimensional nonlinear viscoelasticity: Admissibility and stability (Q1105400)

The one-dimensional mixed dynamical problem (t\(\geq 0)\) is studied for a slab (0\(\leq x\leq 1)\) in which the traction is given by \(\sigma\) \((u_ x)+\mu u_{xt}\), with \(\sigma\) a non-monotonic function of strain \(u_ x\), and \(\mu\) constant positive viscosity. The boundary conditions are \(u(o,t)=0\), \((\partial (u_ x)+\mu u_{xt})_{x=1}=P\) with P constant; the initial conditions involve \(u_ x\) and \(u_ t.\) The bulk of the paper concerns the asymptotic behaviour and the stability of states containing a mixture of phases. An interesting transformation of the problem into one involving a semilinear system of a parabolic p.d.e. and an o.d.e. leads to a simplified existence theory; regularity and stability results are also achieved. It is interesting to observe that multi-phase states found to be stable dynamically need not be `Gibbsian equilibria'. In the second part of the paper some consequences of taking the limit for \(\mu\to 0\) are explored.