Abstract
We study free-discontinuity functionals in nonlinear elasticity, where discontinuities correspond to the phenomenon of cavitation. The energy comprises two terms: a volume term accounting for the elastic energy, and a surface term concentrated on the boundaries of the cavities in the deformed configuration that depends on their unit normal. First, we prove the existence of energy-minimizing deformations. While the treatment of the volume term is standard, that of the surface term relies on the regularity of inverse deformations, their weak continuity properties, and Ambrosio’s lower semicontinuity theorem for special functions of bounded variation. Additionally, we identify sufficient conditions for minimality by employing outer variations and applying the formula for the first derivative of the anisotropic perimeter.
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through the Humboldt Research Fellowship. He is member of GNAMPA (Gruppo Nazionale per l’Analisi Matematica, la Probabilitá e le loro Applicazioni) of INdAM (Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica).
References
[1] L. Ambrosio, Existence theory for a new class of variational problems, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 111 (1990), no. 4, 291–322. 10.1007/BF00376024Suche in Google Scholar
[2] L. Ambrosio, N. Fusco and D. Pallara, Functions of Bounded Variation and Free Discontinuity Problems, Oxford Math. Monogr., Oxford University, New York, 2000. 10.1093/oso/9780198502456.001.0001Suche in Google Scholar
[3] J. M. Ball, Some open problems in elasticity, Geometry, Mechanics, and Dynamics, Springer, New York (2002), 3–59. 10.1007/0-387-21791-6_1Suche in Google Scholar
[4] M. Barchiesi, D. Henao and C. Mora-Corral, Local invertibility in Sobolev spaces with applications to nematic elastomers and magnetoelasticity, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 224 (2017), no. 2, 743–816. 10.1007/s00205-017-1088-1Suche in Google Scholar
[5]
G. Bellettini, M. Novaga and M. Paolini,
On a crystalline variational problem. I. First variation and global
[6] G. Bellettini, G. Riey and M. Novaga, First variation of anisotropic energies and crystalline mean curvature for partitions, Interfaces Free Bound. 5 (2003), no. 3, 331–356. 10.4171/ifb/82Suche in Google Scholar
[7] M. Bresciani, Quasistatic evolution in magnetoelasticity under subcritical coercivity assumptions, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations 62 (2023), no. 6, Paper No. 181. 10.1007/s00526-023-02521-7Suche in Google Scholar
[8] M. Bresciani and M. Friedrich, Core-radius approximation of singular minimizers in nonlinear elasticity, preprint (2025), https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.07546. Suche in Google Scholar
[9] M. Bresciani, M. Friedrich and C. Mora-Corral, Variational models with Eulerian–Lagrangian formulation allowing for material failure, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 249 (2025), no. 1, Paper No. 4. 10.1007/s00205-024-02076-7Suche in Google Scholar
[10] M. Bresciani and B. Stroffolini, Quasistatic evolution of Orlicz–Sobolev nematic elastomers, Ann. Mat. Pura Appl. (4) (2025), 10.1007/s10231-025-01580-1. 10.1007/s10231-025-01580-1Suche in Google Scholar
[11]
D. Campbell, A. Doležalová and S. Hencl,
Mission
[12] K. Cho and A. N. Gent, Cavitation in model elastomeric composites, J. Mater. Sci. 23 (1988), no. 1, 141–144. 10.1007/BF01174045Suche in Google Scholar
[13] S. Conti and C. De Lellis, Some remarks on the theory of elasticity for compressible Neohookean materials, Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa Cl. Sci. (5) 2 (2003), no. 3, 521–549. Suche in Google Scholar
[14] I. Fonseca and W. Gangbo, Degree Theory in Analysis and Applications, Oxford Lecture Ser. Math. Appl. 2, Oxford University, New York, 1995. 10.1093/oso/9780198511960.001.0001Suche in Google Scholar
[15]
I. Fonseca and G. Leoni,
Modern Methods in the Calculus of Variations:
[16] A. Gent and C. Wang, Fracture mechanics and cavitation in rubber-like solids, J. Mater. Sci. 26 (1991), no. 12, 3392–3395. 10.1007/BF01124691Suche in Google Scholar
[17] M. Giaquinta, G. Modica and J. Souček, Cartesian Currents in the Calculus of Variations. I. Cartesian Currents, Ergeb. Math. Grenzgeb. (3) 37, Springer, Berlin, 1998. Suche in Google Scholar
[18] M. Giaquinta, G. Modica and J. Souček, Cartesian currents in the calculus of variations. II. Variational Integrals, Ergeb. Math. Grenzgeb. (3) 37, Springer, Berlin, 1998. 10.1007/978-3-662-06218-0Suche in Google Scholar
[19] D. Henao, Cavitation, invertibility, and convergence of regularized minimizers in nonlinear elasticity, J. Elasticity 94 (2009), no. 1, 55–68. 10.1007/s10659-008-9184-ySuche in Google Scholar
[20] D. Henao and C. Mora-Corral, Invertibility and weak continuity of the determinant for the modelling of cavitation and fracture in nonlinear elasticity, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 197 (2010), no. 2, 619–655. 10.1007/s00205-009-0271-4Suche in Google Scholar
[21] D. Henao and C. Mora-Corral, Fracture surfaces and the regularity of inverses for BV deformations, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 201 (2011), no. 2, 575–629. 10.1007/s00205-010-0395-6Suche in Google Scholar
[22] D. Henao and C. Mora-Corral, Lusin’s condition and the distributional determinant for deformations with finite energy, Adv. Calc. Var. 5 (2012), no. 4, 355–409. 10.1515/acv.2011.016Suche in Google Scholar
[23] D. Henao and C. Mora-Corral, Regularity of inverses of Sobolev deformations with finite surface energy, J. Funct. Anal. 268 (2015), no. 8, 2356–2378. 10.1016/j.jfa.2014.12.011Suche in Google Scholar
[24] D. Henao, C. Mora-Corral and X. Xu, Γ-convergence approximation of fracture and cavitation in nonlinear elasticity, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 216 (2015), no. 3, 813–879. 10.1007/s00205-014-0820-3Suche in Google Scholar
[25] D. Henao, C. Mora-Corral and X. Xu, A numerical study of void coalescence and fracture in nonlinear elasticity, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 303 (2016), 163–184. 10.1016/j.cma.2016.01.012Suche in Google Scholar
[26] D. Henao and B. Stroffolini, Orlicz–Sobolev nematic elastomers, Nonlinear Anal. 194 (2020), Article ID 111513. 10.1016/j.na.2019.04.012Suche in Google Scholar
[27] A. Kumar and O. Lopez-Pamies, The poker-chip experiments of Gent and Lindley (1959) explained, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 150 (2021), Article ID 104359. 10.1016/j.jmps.2021.104359Suche in Google Scholar
[28] C. Mora-Corral, Quasistatic evolution of cavities in nonlinear elasticity, SIAM J. Math. Anal. 46 (2014), no. 1, 532–571. 10.1137/120872498Suche in Google Scholar
[29] S. Müller and S. J. Spector, An existence theory for nonlinear elasticity that allows for cavitation, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 131 (1995), no. 1, 1–66. 10.1007/BF00386070Suche in Google Scholar
[30] J. Sivaloganathan and S. J. Spector, On the existence of minimizers with prescribed singular points in nonlinear elasticity, J. Elasticity 59 (2000), no. 1–3, 83–113. 10.1023/A:1011001113641Suche in Google Scholar
[31] J. Sivaloganathan, S. J. Spector and V. Tilakraj, The convergence of regularized minimizers for cavitation problems in nonlinear elasticity, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 66 (2006), no. 3, 736–757. 10.1137/040618965Suche in Google Scholar
[32] M. L. Williams and R. A. Schapery, Spherical flaw instability in hydrostatic tension, Int. J. Fract. Mech. 1 (1965), no. 1, 64–72. 10.1007/BF00184154Suche in Google Scholar
© 2026 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- On the second eigenvalue of the infinity Laplacian with Robin boundary conditions
- Smooth approximations for constant-mean-curvature hypersurfaces with isolated singularities
- The infinity-potential in the square
- A simple proof of the 1-dimensional flat chain conjecture
- Anisotropic energies for the modeling of cavitation in nonlinear elasticity
- On the Plateau problem for surfaces with minimum moment of inertia
- Existence theory for linear-growth variational integrals with signed measure data
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- On the second eigenvalue of the infinity Laplacian with Robin boundary conditions
- Smooth approximations for constant-mean-curvature hypersurfaces with isolated singularities
- The infinity-potential in the square
- A simple proof of the 1-dimensional flat chain conjecture
- Anisotropic energies for the modeling of cavitation in nonlinear elasticity
- On the Plateau problem for surfaces with minimum moment of inertia
- Existence theory for linear-growth variational integrals with signed measure data