On the principle of stationary complementary energy in finite elastostatics (Q2266608)

In this work the authors explored the existence of solutions to equilibrium problems in finite elastostatics as minimizers of a total potential and complementary energy functionals. To this end, they first indicated some existence results for solutions to equilibrium problems in finite elastostatics as minimizers of a total potential energy functional. In calculating the pressure term associated with the incompressibility constraint they utilized the penalty method, rather than Lagrange multipliers, which has also advantage of representing the case of almost incompressible materials. After stating the respective existence results associated with the penalty method they have indicated how these results can be used in establishing a principle of the type of stationary complementary energy for almost incompressible materials. Finally, they indicated how some incompressible cases may be recovered from the almost incompressible cases. This work might be very useful for those dealing with approximate solutions of finite elastostatic problems.