Many materials undergo inelastic deformations caused by plasticity and damage. These material behaviors cannot be described in terms of a potential. It is also often the case that no memory of the initial virgin state exists, particularly when large deformations are involved. The constitutive relation is typically defined in incremental form in such cases to make the computation of stresses and deformations easier.
The incremental loading procedure For a small enough load step, the material deformation can be characterized by the
small (or linearized) strain increment tensor \boldsymbol{e} = \tfrac{1}{2}\left[\boldsymbol{\nabla}\mathbf{u} + (\boldsymbol{\nabla}\mathbf{u})^T\right] \quad \equiv \quad e_{ij} = \tfrac{1}{2}(u_{i,j} + u_{j,i}) where \mathbf{u} is the displacement increment of the continuum points. The time derivative \frac{\partial\boldsymbol{e}}{\partial t} = \dot{\boldsymbol{e}} = \tfrac{1}{2}\left[\boldsymbol{\nabla}\mathbf{v} + (\boldsymbol{\nabla}\mathbf{v})^T\right] \quad \equiv \quad\dot{e}_{ij} = \tfrac{1}{2} (v_{i,j} + v_{j,i}) is the
strain rate tensor (also called the velocity strain) and \mathbf{v} = \dot{\mathbf{u}} is the material point velocity or displacement rate. For finite strains, measures from the
Seth–Hill family (also called Doyle–Ericksen tensors) can be used: \mathbf E_{(m)}=\frac{1}{2m}(\mathbf U^{2m}- \mathbf I) where \mathbf{U} is the right stretch. A second-order approximation of these tensors is \mathbf{E}_{(m)} \approx \boldsymbol{e} + {\tfrac 1 2}(\nabla\mathbf{u})^T\cdot\nabla\mathbf{u} - (1 - m) \boldsymbol{e} \cdot \boldsymbol{e}
Energy-consistent objective stress rates Consider a material element of unit initial volume, starting from an initial state under initial Cauchy (or true) stress \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 and let \boldsymbol{\sigma} be the Cauchy stress in the final configuration. Let W be the work done (per unit initial volume) by the internal forces during an incremental deformation from this initial state. Then the variation \delta W corresponds to the variation in the work done due to a variation in the displacement \delta \mathbf{u}. The displacement variation has to satisfy the displacement boundary conditions. Let \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)} be an objective stress tensor in the initial configuration. Define the stress increment with respect to the initial configuration as \boldsymbol{S} = \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0. Alternatively, if \boldsymbol{P} is the unsymmetric first Piola–Kirchhoff stress referred to the initial configuration, the increment in stress can be expressed as \boldsymbol{T} = \boldsymbol{P} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0.
Variation of work done Then the variation in work done can be expressed as \delta W = \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)}:\delta\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} = \boldsymbol{P}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} where the finite strain measure \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} is energy conjugate to the stress measure \boldsymbol{\sigma}^{(m)}. Expanded out, \delta W = \left(\boldsymbol{S}+\boldsymbol{\sigma}_0\right):\delta\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} = \left(\boldsymbol{T}+\boldsymbol{\sigma}_0\right):\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} \,. The objectivity of stress tensor \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)} is ensured by its transformation as a second-order tensor under coordinate rotations (which causes the principal stresses to be independent from coordinate rotations) and by the correctness of \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)}:\delta\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} as a second-order energy expression. From the symmetry of the Cauchy stress, we have \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} = \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\delta\boldsymbol{e} \,. For small variations in strain, using the approximation \boldsymbol{S}:\delta\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} \approx \boldsymbol{S}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} and the expansions \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\delta\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} = \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u}\right] ~,~~ \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\delta\boldsymbol{e} = \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{e}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u}\right] we get the equation \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u}\right] + \boldsymbol{S}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} = \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{e}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u}\right] + \boldsymbol{T}:\delta\nabla\mathbf{u} \,. Imposing the variational condition that the resulting equation must be valid for any strain gradient \delta\nabla\mathbf{u}, we have {{NumBlk|| \boldsymbol{S} = \boldsymbol{T} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}-\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{e}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}\right] |}} We can also write the above equation as {{NumBlk|| \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)} = \boldsymbol{P} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\frac{\partial}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}\left[\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} - \boldsymbol{e}\right] \,. |}}
Time derivatives The Cauchy stress and the first Piola-Kirchhoff stress are related by (see
Stress measures) \boldsymbol{\sigma} = \boldsymbol{P}\cdot\boldsymbol{F}^T J^{-1} = (\boldsymbol{P} + \boldsymbol{P}\cdot\nabla\mathbf{u}^T) J^{-1} \,. For small incremental deformations, J^{-1} \approx 1 - \nabla\cdot\mathbf{u} \,. Therefore, \Delta\boldsymbol{\sigma} = \boldsymbol{\sigma} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \approx (\boldsymbol{P} + \boldsymbol{P}\cdot\nabla\mathbf{u}^T) (1 - \nabla\cdot\mathbf{u}) - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \,. Substituting \boldsymbol{T} + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 = \boldsymbol{P}, \Delta\boldsymbol{\sigma} \approx [\boldsymbol{T} + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 + (\boldsymbol{T} + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0)\cdot\nabla\mathbf{u}^T] (1 - \nabla\cdot\mathbf{u}) - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \,. For small increments of stress \boldsymbol{T} relative to the initial stress \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0, the above reduces to {{NumBlk|| \Delta\boldsymbol{\sigma} \approx \boldsymbol{T} - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}) + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \cdot \nabla \mathbf{u}^T \,. |}} From equations (1) and (3) we have {{NumBlk|| \boldsymbol{S} = \Delta\boldsymbol{\sigma} + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}) - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \cdot \nabla \mathbf{u}^T- \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}-\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{e}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}\right] |}} Recall that \boldsymbol{S} is an increment of the stress tensor measure \boldsymbol{S}_{(m)}. Defining the stress rate \boldsymbol{S} =: \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(m)} \Delta t and noting that \Delta\boldsymbol{\sigma} = \dot{\boldsymbol{\sigma}} \Delta t we can write equation (4) as {{NumBlk|| \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(m)} \Delta t = \dot{\boldsymbol{\sigma}} \Delta t + \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{v}) \Delta t - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 \cdot \nabla \mathbf{v}^T \Delta t - \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0:\left[\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}-\frac{\partial \boldsymbol{e}}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}\right]|}} Taking the limit at \Delta t \rightarrow 0, and noting that \boldsymbol{\sigma}_0 = \boldsymbol{\sigma} at this limit, one gets the following expression for the objective stress rate associated with the strain measure \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)}: {{NumBlk|| \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(m)} = \dot{\boldsymbol{\sigma}} + \boldsymbol{\sigma}(\nabla \cdot \mathbf{v}) - \boldsymbol{\sigma} \cdot \nabla \mathbf{v}^T - \boldsymbol{\sigma} : \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \left[\frac{\partial}{\partial \nabla\mathbf{u}}\left(\boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} - \boldsymbol{e}\right)\right] \,. |}} Here \dot \sigma_{ij} = \partial \sigma_{ij} /\partial t = material rate of Cauchy stress (i.e., the rate in Lagrangian coordinates of the initial stressed state).
Work-conjugate stress rates A rate for which there exists no legitimate finite strain tensor \boldsymbol{E}_{(m)} associated according to Eq. (6) is energetically inconsistent, i.e., its use violates energy balance (i.e., the
first law of thermodynamics). Evaluating Eq. (6) for general m and for m=2, one gets a general expression for the objective stress rate: {{NumBlk|| \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(m)} = \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(2)} + \tfrac{1}{2}(2 - m) [\boldsymbol{\sigma}\cdot \dot \boldsymbol{e} + (\boldsymbol{\sigma} \cdot \dot \boldsymbol{e})^T] |}} where \overset{\circ}{\boldsymbol{S}}_{(2)} is the objective stress rate associated with the Green-Lagrangian strain (m=2). In particular, • m=2 gives the
Truesdell stress rate • m=0 gives the
Zaremba-Jaumann rate of Kirchhoff stress • m=1 gives the
Biot stress rate (Note that m = 2 leads to
Engesser's formula for critical load in shear buckling, while m = -2 leads to
Haringx's formula which can give critical loads differing by >100%).
Non work-conjugate stress rates Other rates, used in most commercial codes, which are not work-conjugate to any finite strain tensor are: • the
Zaremba-Jaumann, or corotational, rate of Cauchy stress: It differs from Zaremba-Jaumann rate of Kirchhoff stress by missing the rate of relative volume change of material. The lack of work-conjugacy is usually not a serious problem since that term is negligibly small for many materials and zero for incompressible materials (but in indentation of a sandwich plate with foam core, this rate can give an error of >30% in the indentation force). • the
Cotter–Rivlin rate corresponds to m = -2 but it again misses the volumetric term. • the
Green–Naghdi rate: This objective stress rate is not work-conjugate to any finite strain tensor, not only because of the missing volumetric term but also because the material rotation velocity is not exactly equal to the
spin tensor. In the vast majority of applications, the errors in the energy calculation, caused by these differences, are negligible. However, it must be pointed out that a large energy error was already demonstrated for a case with shear strains and rotations exceeding about 0.25. • the
Oldroyd rate.
Objective rates and Lie derivatives The objective stress rates could also be regarded as the Lie derivatives of various types of stress tensor (i.e., the associated covariant, contravariant and mixed components of Cauchy stress) and their linear combinations. The Lie derivative does not include the concept of work-conjugacy. == Tangential stiffness moduli and their transformations to achieve energy consistency ==