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Taking traces of the constitutive equation givesThe assumed finite limits of stress and strain make the right side bounded. Therefore $\mathrm{tr}{e}_{\lambda }=O({\lambda }^{-1})$, and the limiting strain satisfies $\mathrm{tr}e=0$. The permitted interchange of derivatives and limits gives $\mathrm{tr}e=\mathrm{div}u$. DefineThen the limit stress is $S=-pI+2\mu e$. Passing to the limit in force balance and using $2\mathrm{Div}e=\Delta u+\nabla \mathrm{div}u$ givesThe pressure acts as the Lagrange multiplier enforcing the volume constraint. The differential equations determine it up to an additive constant, while a specified absolute limit stress can fix that constant.

Nonlinear elastic incompressibility is $\det Dy=1$. Expanding the determinant for $Dy=I+Du$ gives $\det (I+Du)=1+\mathrm{div}u+O(|Du{|}^2)$, so its first-order form is precisely $\mathrm{div}u=0$. The volumetric energy term $\lambda (\mathrm{div}u{)}^2/2$ becomes increasingly expensive as $\lambda$ grows, while the fixed positive $\mu$ leaves shear strain possible. Thus the infinite-bulk-stiffness limit is the incompressible limit of isotropic linear elasticity, with the same equilibrium operator as the steady Stokes equations.