MCEN 5023/ASEN 5012

Chapter 2

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Fall, 2006

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Scalar, Vector, and Tensor
Scalar

A physical quantity that can be completely described by a real

number.
Example: Temperature; Mass; Density; Potential.
The expression of its component is independent of the
choice of the coordinate system.

Vector a

A physical quantity that has both direction and length.

Example: Displacement; Velocity; Force; Heat flow; .
The expression of its components is dependent of the
choice of the coordinate system.

Tensor A

A 2nd order tensor defines an operation that transforms a vector

to another vector

A tensor contains the information about the directions and the

magnitudes in those directions.
In general, Scalar is a 0th order tensor; Vector is A 1st order tensor; 2nd order
tensor; 3rd order tensor

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vectors and Vector Algebra
A vector is a physical quantity that has both direction and length
What do we mean the two vectors are equal?

X3

The two vectors have the same length and direction

What is a unit vector?

The length of a unit vector is one

X2
X1

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

X3

a3

Vectors and Vector Algebra

In a Cartesian coordinate, a vector can be expressed

by three ordered scalars
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a = a1e1 + a2e 2 + a3e 3 = ai ei

a2

i =1

Summation convention

X2

a = ai ei

a1
X1

Dummy index and free index

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Sum:

a + b = (ai + bi )ei

Scalar Multiplication

a = ai ei

Dot Product

a b = a b cos (a, b )

Cross Product

e1 e 2
a b = a1 a2
b1

b2

e3
a3
b3
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Sum:

X2

a + b = (ai + bi )e i

a+b
Properties of Sum

a+b =b+a

(a + b ) + c = a + (b + c)
a + ( a ) = o

b
a
X1
Parallelogram law of addition

a+o =a

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Scalar Multiplication

a = ae
i i

X2

a (>0)

Properties of Scalar Multiplication

( )a = ( a )
( + )a = a + a
(a + b ) = a + b

X1

a (<0)

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra

a b = a b cos (a, b )

Dot Product

Properties of Dot Product

ab = ba
ao = o

a ( b + c ) = (a b ) + (a c )

aa > 0 a o

a = aa

and

a a = 0 a =o

norm of a

a2 = a a
ab = o

a is orthogonal to b

Direction of a vector:

a
a
n= =
a
aa
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

a

Vector Algebra
Components of a vector

e1
a

Symbolic expression

ai e i

Component expression

X2

a e1

X2

a
X1
X1
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Dot Product

a b = a b cos (a, b )

Three basis vectors of a Cartesian coordinate

1 i = j
ei e j =
= ij
0 i j
Properties of

ei

1 i = j
ij =
0 i j

i=1,2,3

Kronecker delta

ij

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Cross Product

e1
a b = a1
b1

e2
a2
b2

e3
a3
b3

Permutation symbol

ijk

1 even permutatio n

= 1 odd permutatio n
0
repeated index

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Physical Meaning of Cross Product
b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Properties of Cross Product

e1

e2

e3

a b = a1
b1

a2
b2

a3
b3

a b = b a

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Triple scalar product

(a b ) c
ab

c
b

(a b ) c = (b c ) a = (c a ) b
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concept of Tensor
A 2nd order tensor is a linear operator that transforms a
vector a into another vector b through a dot product.
b
or b=Aa
A: a
X2
b=Aa

a
X1

Properties due to linear operation

A ( a + b ) = Aa + Ab

(A B )a = Aa Ba

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Anatomy of a Tensor: Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic
Dyad

ab

(ab )

A dyad is a tensor. It transforms a vector by

A dyadic is also a tensor. It is a linear combination of

dyads with scalar coefficients.

B = ab+cd
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic
Now, consider a special dyad

ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic
Now, consider a special dyad

ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Properties of Dyad and Dyadic

(a b )( c + d ) = (a b )c + (a b )d
( a + b ) c = (a c) + (b c)
A( a b ) = (Aa ) b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Special Tensors
Positive semi-definite tensor:

a Aa 0

for any a 0

Positive definite tensor:

a Aa > 0

for any a 0

Unit tensor: I
Transpose of a tensor

I = ij ei e j

AI = A

AT

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

AB

Dot Product

Properties of dot product

AB BA

(AB )C = A(BC) = ABC

A 2 = AA

A n = AA...A

(AB )T

= BT AT
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Trace and Contraction
Trace tr (A ) = Aii

( )

tr (A ) = tr A T

tr (AB ) = tr (BA )
tr (A + B ) = tr (A ) + tr (B )
tr (A ) = tr (A )
Contraction (double dot)

A:B

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Tensor Review

ab
Dayd: vector a is sitting
in front vector b

(a b )c = a(b c )
c (a b ) = (a c ) b

Cross Product

e1
a b = a1
b1

e2
a2
b2

e3
a3
b3

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Rule of Thumb:
For algebra on vectors and tensors, an index must show up twice
and only twice.
If an index shows up once on the left hand side (LHS) of =
sign, it must show up once and only once on the right hand side
(RHS) of = sign. This index is free index.
If an index shows up twice on either LHS or RHS of = , it
does not have to show up on the other side of = . This index is
dummy index.
You are free to change the letters that represent a free index or
a dummy index. But you have to change it in pair.
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Determinant and inverse of a tensor
Determinant

A11
det A = det A21
A31

A12
A22
A32

A13
A23
A33

det(AB) = det A det B

det AT = det A

A is singular if and only if detA=0

Inverse
if detA is not zero

AA1 = I = A 1A

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Properties of inverse tensor

(AB )

= B 1A 1

(A )

=A

1 1

( A )

(A ) = (A )
1 T

T 1

A2 = A1A1

( )

A 1

(A )

1 T

= AT

An = A1A1...A1

det A 1 = (det A )

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Orthogonal tensor

Qa Qb = a b

QT Q = I
a

Qa

det Q = 1
det Q = 1
det Q

Qb

Q is a proper orthogonal tensor and corresponds to a

rotation

Q is an improper orthogonal tensor and corresponds

= 1 to a reflection
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Rotation

cos
Q = sin
0

X2

a
a
X1

Rotation of the vector

sin
cos
0

X2

0
0
1

X2

a
X1

X1

Rotation of the coordinate system

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Symmetric and skew tensor
A=S+W

1
S = A + AT
2

1
W = A AT
2

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

The scalar is an eigenvalue of a tensor A if there is

of A so that
a non-zero vector unit eigenvector n

An = n
X2

X2
m=An

n = An
n

X1

X1

General case: m=An

Eigenvector: n

= An
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

An = n

(A I )n = 0
det (A I ) = 0

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Spectral Decomposition

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