A basis-free formula for time rate of Hill's strain tensors (Q1309529)

We use the ``\(\pi\)-method'' to obtain a basis-free formula for the time rate \(\dot{\mathbf E}\) of Hill's strain tensor \({\mathbf E}({\mathbf U})=\sum_ if(\lambda_ i){\mathbf N}_ i\otimes{\mathbf N}_ i\); here \({\mathbf U}\) is the right stretch tensor, \(\lambda_ i\) are its eigenvalues and \(\{{\mathbf N}_ i\}\) is a Lagrangian triad of orthonormal eigenvectors subordinate to \(\{\lambda_ i\}\); \(f(\cdot)\) is a smooth strictly-increasing scalar function that satisfies: \(f(1)=0\), \(f'(1)=1\). Our formula is generally valid, provided that \({\mathbf U}(\cdot)\) is a \(C^ 1\) function of time and \(f(\cdot)\) is of class \(C^ 3\).