Variational principles of continuum mechanics. I: Fundamentals (Q950561)

The aim of this monograph is to explain the physical origin of the variational principles of continuum mechanics in interrelations between mathematics and mechanics. It highlights two sides of the variational approach -- as a universal tool to describe physical phenomena and as a source for qualitative and quantitative methods to study practical problems. The monograph consists of three volumes. The reviewed volume I presents the foundations of the subject, including variational principles for systems with finite degrees of freedom. Ch. 1 contains a short presentation of variational principles in mechanics, among them Euler's calculus of variations and Hamiltonian equations, with explanation of their physical meaning. Ch. 2 presents the derivation of basic laws of thermodynamics by elimination of fast degree of freedom from relevant equations. Ch. 3 ``Continuum mechanics'' on the base of tensor character of continuum mechanics equations contains the derivation of its basic laws and presents classical continuum models. In concluding subsection it is briefly described the notion of thermodynamic formalism in derivation of governing equations. In Ch. 4 the principle of least action in continuum mechanics of reversible processes and some related issues are presented in the subsections: variation of integral functionals; variation of kinematic parameters; equations; models with high derivatives and tensor variations. Ch. 5 ``Direct methods of calculus of variations'' begins with the consideration of the existence and uniqueness theory. The next topic is the theory of dual variational problems, basing on the notions of convexity and Young-Fenchel transformation. Important tool of the direct methods is the asymptotic analysis of the functionals depending on small parameters. Here the general schemes are discussed and a variety of concrete examples is considered. In this chapter a link between minimization problems and integration in functional spaces is also established. The chapter is concluded with a discussion of several useful facts which help to work with variational problems. Part II ``Variational features of classical continuous models'' presents the general setting of variational principles of continuum mechanics and contains the following chapters: Statics of a geometrically linear elastic body; Statics of a geometrically nonlinear elastic body; Dynamic of elastic bodies; Ideal incompressible fluid; Ideal compressible fluid; Steady motion of ideal fluid and elastic body; Principle of least dissipation; Motion of rigid bodies in fluids.