Mathematical Sciences: Global Continuation Methods in Nonlinear Elasticity

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

6/3/96 Dear Dr. Hariharan: Our Department Financial Assistant is now working up a new budget in accordance with your recommendations from today. She will mail it out sometime tomorrow for your non-official approval, before we sign it, etc. Is a Text format OK for this, or would it be better to fax it to you? I am prepared to make a best effort attempt to meet the original scope of the work, given the reduced budget. Here is the abstract that you requested: ************* DMS-9625830: Global Continuation Methods in Nonlinear Elasticity P.I.: T.J.Healey Abstract. We plan to carry out research in global nonlinear analysis of partial differential equations of nonlinear elasticity. A major thrust of the proposed work will be focused on problems involving phase change (weak solutions and loss of ellipticity). The analysis of such models at a very general level is fundamental to the understanding of martensitic transformations and shape-memory effects, which are observed in many advanced engineering alloys. Some interesting problems of classical nonlinear elasticity will also be considered. The work has two major goals: (i) To obtain new qualitative results and detect new phenomena - of both mathematical and physical significance; (ii) To obtain new global-continuation (existence) results in problems of 2 and 3-dimensional elasticity - including problems involving phase transformations. In classical problems (rubber elasticity), tools developed by Healey and co-workers in previous NSF-sponsored work will play an important role. For phase-change problems, an entirely new approach based upon higher-gradient regularization, global continuation and singular limits is being proposed. Broadly speaking,the proposed work will provide important mathematical underpinnings to difficult nonlinear problems arising in traditional engineering fields like structural & mechanical engineering and also in more modern areas like materials scien ce. The work has the potential to: (i) provide new mathematical tools for the analysis of hard problems of engineering practice,leading ultimately to safer and more optimal design of structures; (ii) lead to a better understanding of the nonlinear material behavior of certain engineering alloys, with potential applications to manufacturing engineering and the design of non-passive or "smart" structures. ********* Let me know if this is not acceptable - I'll be happy to make changes. Thanks, Tim Healey