In this chapter we provide a brief overview of the main ingredients of the nonlinear theory of elasticity in order to establish the basic background material as a reference source for the other, more specialized, chapters in this volume.

Introduction

In this introductory chapter we summarize the basic equations of nonlinear elasticity theory as a point of departure and as a reference source for the other articles in this volume which are concerned with more specific topics.

There are several texts and monographs which deal with the subject of nonlinear elasticity in some detail and from different standpoints. The most important of these are, in chronological order of the publication of the first edition, Green and Zerna (1954, 1968, 1992), Green and Adkins (1960, 1970), Truesdell and Noll (1965), Wang and Truesdell (1973), Chadwick (1976, 1999), Marsden and Hughes (1983, 1994), Ogden (1984a, 1997), Ciarlet (1988) and Antman (1995). See also the textbook by Holzapfel (2000), which deals with viscoelasticity and other aspects of nonlinear solid mechanics as well as containing an extensive treatment of nonlinear elasticity. These books may be referred to for more detailed study. Subsequently in this chapter we shall refer to the most recent editions of these works. The review articles by Spencer (1970) and Beatty (1987) are also valuable sources of reference.

Section 1.2 of this chapter is concerned with laying down the basic equations of elastostatics and it includes a summary of the relevant geometry of deformation and strain, an account of stress and stress tensors, the equilibrium equations and boundary conditions and an introduction to the formulation of constitutive laws for elastic materials, with discussion of the important notions of objectivity and material symmetry.