A note on hyperelasticity (Q760241)

If the stored energy \(\phi\) is expressed in terms of the Cauchy-Green strain tensor C, then the stress response function G(C) of a hyperelastic material is derivable from \(\phi\) by \(G(C)=2\rho (\partial \phi (C)/\partial C)\). If the component notation is adapted, then this equation takes the form (*) \(G_{ij}(C_{ab})=2\rho (\partial \phi (C_{ab})/\partial C_{ij})\). Since \(\phi\) is defined here only on the set \({\mathcal S}\) of positive-definite symmetric matrics and so \(C_{ab}\) are not independent on \({\mathcal S}\), the derivatives in the right-hand side of (*) are not the usual partial derivatives. In the paper the authors give three possible interpretations for (*) together with the compatibility conditions corresponding to them. The final section of the paper brings very short and nice proof of the fact that the intersection of the symmetry groups for the stress response function and for the stored energy function must be a subgroup of the special linear group (i.e. unimodular group), provided \(\phi\) is not constant.