The weak solvability of an inhomogeneous dynamic problem for a viscoelastic continuum with memory (Q6096017)

An initial-boundary value problem describing the evolution of a viscoelastic fluid is considered in a bounded smooth domain, subject to a general time-dependent boundary data. Crucially, the dissipative term depends on the strain rate history along the Lagrangian path of the fluid particles (up to the time of entering the domain of interest). This means, mathematically, that the weak formulation is coupled to the Cauchy problem \(z' = u(s,z)\), \(z(t)=x\). Due to \textit{G. Crippa} and \textit{C. De Lellis} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 616, 15--46 (2008; Zbl 1160.34004)] this is well posed even for the Sobolev velocity fields \(u \in L^2(0,T;W^{1,2}_{\mathrm{div}})\). Consequently, the problem can be approached via the standard fixed-point argument, based on the Galerkin approximation and the Schauder theorem. The existence of a weak solution is indeed asserted. However, the technical details (in particular the compactness argument and the to the passage limit) are only outlined.