A constitutive restriction related to convexity of yield surfaces in plasticity (Q761083)

\textit{P. M. Naghdi} and \textit{J. A. Trapp} [Q. J. Mech. Appl. Math. 28, 25- 46 (1975; Zbl 0318.73002) and J. Appl. Mech. 42, 61-66 (1975; Zbl 0337.73028)] have obtained constitutive restrictions within a purely mechanical framework by the help of a physically plausible assumption. This assumption implies that the tensor \(\sigma_{KL}\), which depends on elastic-plastic response functions, is directed along the inward normal to the yield surface. Naghdi and Trapp showed that for a special type of stress response, an additional constitutive restriction is implied from their work assumption. They proved that the additional restriction ensures that both the yield surface in stress space and the yield surface in strain space are convex. The authors put the question if a second restriction of a well known type can also be obtained in the context of the more general constitutive equations from the Naghdi and Trapp equations. They prove that such a restriction can indeed be established. An essential result of the present work is the existence of a potential function from which stress is derivable. Such a function was shown by the first author and \textit{P. M. Naghdi} in Int. J. Solids Struct. 19, 1115-1146 (1983; Zbl 0532.73004) and it is a consequence of the work inequality of Naghdi and Trapp. We remark that this paper is written in a very clear style, so it is of a real interest.