Thermoelastic deformations (Q1382614)

Thermoelasticity deals with the continuum theory of thermal interactions in elastic bodies. In the classical thermoelastic model, the constitutive relations depend on deformation tensor, temperature, temperature gradient vector, and material coordinates if the material is heterogeneous. The usual axioms of the constitutive theory together with the entropy inequality restrict the admissible forms of the constitutive relations. The well-known balance laws of continuum mechanics, namely the conservation of mass, balances of linear momentum, angular momentum and energy, lead then to a set of nonlinear partial differential equations and jump conditions (boundary conditions) to determine the motion and the temperature fields in the body. Within the classical framework employed in this book, one obtains a parabolic equation for the temperature field which predicts an instantaneous propagation of thermal disturbances. One way to remedy this physically objectionable situation is to generalise the thermodynamics in order to allow for a richer class of constitutive relations. One criticism which can be raised against this well-organised monograph is its total exclusion of these relatively recent developments. Even a brief, rudimentary chapter would be quite beneficial to some readers by showing them that there are new paths in this well-explored area. The book comprises five chapters. It is well documented by 371 bibliographic references. The first chapter entitled as ``The foundations of the theory of thermoelasticity'' contains a concise description of balance laws, the entropy inequality and constitutive relations of thermoelastic solids in both material and spatial coordinates, discusses general initial-boundary value problems, and provides a fairly self-contained exposition of curvilinear coordinates (although in the majority of the book only Cartesian tensors are employed). Propagating singular surfaces in the body are also treated. The second chapter is entitled ``The linear theory of thermoelasticity for bodies with initial stress and initial heat flux''. Here the authors assume that the body is stress-free in an isothermal state in the reference configuration \(B_0\), with material coordinates \(X_K\). Then the body is transferred to the primary configuration \(B\) by a given finite motion, so that spatial coordinates \(x_k\) and the temperature \(T\) are known functions of \(X_K\) and the time \(t\). The secondary configuration \(B^*\) is obtained by superimposing very small incremental displacements \(u_k\) and the temperature \(\theta\). The field equations representing the transformations from \(B_0\) to \(B^*\) are then linearised in terms of the incremental quantities \({\mathbf u}\) and \(\theta\). The resulting set of linear partial differential equations and boundary conditions involve, in general, known time- and space-dependent coefficients. Time dependence in coefficients disappears, of course, if \(B\) is an equilibrium configuration. By employing some functional analytical techniques, the authors prove theorems related to the continuous dependence on sources, to uniqueness and existence of solutions, some reciprocity properties and variational principles (in fact, minimum principles are obtained). Thermoelastic waves in homogeneous and isotropic bodies subjected to an initial homogeneous deformation are studied, and some equilibrium problems are discussed. In the third chapter, ``Thermoelastodynamics of bodies without initial deformation'', the incremental fields are directly superimposed on the reference configuration. This approach leads to the well-known coupled theory of linear, time-dependent thermoelasticity. The authors discuss in detail propagation of monochromatic waves, fundamental solutions of field equations corresponding to steady vibrations, and then develop a theory with single and double layers on the boundary which reduces the solution of boundary value problems to the solution of some singular integral equations on the body boundary. Some transient problems involving rather simple geometries are studied via Laplace transform, together with the propagation and growth of linear singular waves. The fourth chapter ``Problems of equilibrium'' is, in essence, a continuation of the previous chapter. Field equations are now assumed to be time-independent. This assumption decouples the temperature field from deformations and allows a direct evaluation of the temperature distribution in the material. The obtained temperature field determines then a part of the body force distributions in the equilibrium equations, which are none other than pure elasticity equations. A brief expositions of several well-known results, especially in cylindrical and spherical regions, are described. The final fifth chapter ``Nonlinear thermoelasticity'' treats fully nonlinear field equations which determine the motion and the temperature distribution of a body. First, an overview of some results concerning continuous dependence on data is presented. Then the propagation and growth of nonlinear acceleration waves are discussed. The second-order theory is developed in a detailed fashion, and a method of solution of plane-strain problems through complex analysis is given. Finally, the authors describe some controllable states, which are valid for all constitutive relations, for homogeneous, isotropic and incompressible materials in the absence of body forces and heat supply. Unfortunately, there are an excessive number of misprints in the book. Although many of them are quite easy to identify, some misprints may mislead a reader who is not well versed in the field of thermo-elasticity.