Non-periodic homogenization of bending-torsion theory for inextensible rods from 3D elasticity (Q740032)

The 3D nonlinear elastic energy of inextensible rods is homogenized by \(\Gamma\)-convergence for the sake of dimension reduction. This can be seen as a justifiction of some bending-torsion models for rods, which are solid bodies occupying scaled domains \(\Omega^h = [0,L]\times(h\omega)\), \(\omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\) as \(h\to 0\), when the energy scales as \(O(h^2)\) (strain is small but displacement possibly large). The present work follows many recent ones that also aim at justifying rigorously the models with reduced dimensions in elasticity (shells, plates, beams, rods). In particular, the construction of the limit energy follows the previous work [``On the general homogenization of von Karman plate equations from 3D nonlinear elasticity'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1306.0287}] of the second author. The proof uses the celebrated work [\textit{G. Friesecke} et al., Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 55, No. 11, 1461--1506 (2002; Zbl 1021.74024)]. A short review of the literature is provided in the introduction.