Constraint manifolds for isotropic solids (Q1124402)

After stating the notions of a constraint manifold, which is a limitation on the possible motion of a material element, and of a compatibility of a constraint manifold and an elastic response function, at first the authors give a new proof of a theorem given by \textit{M. E. Gurtin} and \textit{P. Podio-Guidugli} [ibid. 51, 192-208 (1973; Zbl 0263.73004)]: Incompressibility is the only proper constraint compatible with fluidity. And then, for an isotropic solid, they find that incompressibility is not the only possible constraint of maximal dimension, unless one insists that the constraint manifold be independent of the reference placement. Moreover, they find that rigidity and conformality are the only compatible constraints of submaximal dimension. Next, elaborating a suggestion of \textit{M. E. Gurtin} [Introduction to continuum mechanics (1981; Zbl 0559.73001)], they consider the problem of describing a constraint manifold of maximal dimension, compatible with isotropy and solidity, as the locus of zeroes for a scalar-valued function of the principal invariants of strain. Introducing the notion of a consistently orientable pure isotropic constraint, they show that for sufficiently smooth constraint manifolds of this class the suggested description is indeed possible.