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Nonlinear Finite Elements for Continua and Structures

3. Conservation of energy
4. Conservation of angular momentum.
The conservation laws are also known as balance laws, for example, the conservation of energy is
often called the balance of energy.
The conservation laws are usually expressed as partial differential equations (PDEs). These PDEs
are derived by applying the conservation laws to a domain of the body, which leads to an integral
relation. The following relationship is used to extract the PDEs from the integral relation: if f (x , t)
❑
is C−1 and ∫ f ( x ,t )dΩ=0 for any subdomain Ω of Ω
Ω

and time t ∈[0 , t], then

f (x , t)=0 inΩ for t ∈[O ,t ] (3.5.1)
In the following, Ω is an arbitrary subdomain of the body Ω under consideration; we also refer to Ω
as simply a domain. Prior to deriving the balance equations, several theorems useful for this
purpose are derived.
3.5.2 Gauss’s Theorem
In the derivation of the conservation equations, Gauss’s theorem is frequently used. This the‐ orem
relates integrals over a domain to an integral over the boundary of this domain. It can be used to
relate a volume integral to a surface integral or an area integral to a contour integral. The one‐
dimensional form of Gauss’s theorem is the fundamental theorem of calculus, given in Chapter 2.
Gauss’s theorem states that when f (x) is piecewise continuously differentiable, that is, a C 0
function, then
❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
∂ f ( x)
∫ dΩ=∫ n j f (x) dΓ or ∫ ∇ f ( x)dΩ=∫ n f ( x)dΓ (3.5.2a)
Ω ∂ xi Γ Ω Γ

The theorem holds for any domain, including the reference domain, where for a C 0 function f (X ) ,
we have
❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
∂f (X ) 0
∫ ∂ X d Ω0=∫ ni f (X ) d Γ 0 or ∫ ∇0 f (X )d Ω0=∫ n0 f ( X) d Γ 0 (3.5.2b)
Ω0
i Γ 0
Ω 0
Γ 0

This theorem holds for a tensor of any order; for example if f (x) is replaced by a tensor of first
order, then
❑
∂ gi ( x) ❑ ❑ ❑

∫ dΩ=∫ ni g j (x )dΓ ¿ ∫ ∇ ⋅ g( x)dΩ=∫ n⋅ g (x) dΓ (3.5.3)

Ω ∂ xi Γ Ω Γ

which is often known as the divergence theorem. The theorem also holds for gradients of the vector
field: