Ecole

Centrale de Nantes - Master 1 SMA

Continuum Mechanics
Constitutive equations

Exercise 1 : Stress-strain relationship in linear elasticity

1. Introduction
Question 1.1 : What is a constitutive equation?
Question 1.2 : What does elasticity mean? When is it observed?
2. Isotropic elasticity
Question 1.3 : Study the isotropic stress-strain relationship in linear elasticity in
the following particular loading cases:
(a) uniaxial tensile test
(b) torsion test
(c) hydrostatic compression test
Question 1.4 : Using the principle of superposition, build the isotropic stress-strain
relationship in linear elasticity in the three-dimensional case.
Question 1.5 : Establish a relationship between the bulk modulus, the Young modulus and the Poissons ratio.
Question 1.6 : By making a connection between the stress state in the eigenbasis in
a pure shear test and a biaxial tensile-compression state, establish
a relationship between the shear modulus, the Young modulus and
the Poissons ratio.

3. Anisotropic elasticity
Question 1.7 : Linear elasticity is more generally modelled through a fourth order
(rigidity or compliance) tensor. Show first that only 21 components are independent, and build a matricial representation using
a second order tensor basis.
Question 1.8 : We assume now that the elastic material exhibits one plane of symmetry (e2 , e3 ) of equation x1 = 0. What is the name of this material? How many independent parameters are needed to describe its
elastic behaviour?
Question 1.9 : Adding a second plane of symmetry (e1 , e3 ) of equation x2 = 0,
normal to the first one, determine how many parameters are needed
to describe the behaviour. What is the name of this material?
Question 1.10 : By introducing successively several elements of symmetry, show
that isotropy is completely described by two material parameters.