Past exam of the elasticity and plasticity course of the University of Oxford 2008 1 d Solution 2026-10-31
Apply energy uniqueness for a linear elastic traction problem. Subtract two solutions with the same loading, writing their displacement difference as . Linearity makes its body force and boundary traction zero. The preceding energy identity therefore yields . Positive definiteness and continuity imply everywhere. By the permitted zero-strain characterization,Thus the solution is unique modulo infinitesimal rigid translations and rotations, on each connected body. Conversely adding such a displacement changes neither strain nor stress, so these are exactly the unconstrained modes. This is conditional uniqueness; existence of a pure-traction solution additionally requires balanced resultant force and torque.