Hyperelasticity for crystals

Abstract

The goal of this note is to explain the process of computing the lowest energy level achieved by an elastic crystal subject to homogeneous boundary deformation. This analysis follows mainly the lines of Chipot and Kinderlehrer or Fonesca but we expect that it will lead to some new results for some other energy functional having different invariance properties. The mathematical interest of the result also lies in the fact that the lowest energy level computed this way coincides with the relaxed energy functional (see Fonesca). This relaxed energy is determined by a known thermodynamic quantity, Ericksen' subenergy. Within this review we will also analyse some of the mathematical and physical aspects of these highly oscillatory problems.