Past exam of the elasticity and plasticity course of the University of Oxford 2023 3 a Solution 2026-10-25
Assume homogeneous Lamé parameters, with and positive bulk modulus . For spherical symmetry, write and . Radial force balance is . The given linear elasticity relations implySubstitution into radial force balance givesThusThe volumetric strain is , and the trace of the stress tensor isSince is constant, . The radial elastic compatibility condition follows:This condition is local to a region governed by homogeneous linear elasticity; it is not a constitutive condition for a plastically deforming region.
Past exam of the elasticity and plasticity course of the University of Oxford 2023 3 d Solution 2026-10-25
LetAt maximum pressure, the stress is the field from part (c) with and . Under the assumed elastic unloading, previously accumulated plastic strain is frozen. Therefore it is the stress increment, rather than the total stress, that satisfies homogeneous linear elasticity and radial elastic compatibility. Applying the superposition principle, a pressure change produces the elastic incrementsThey have zero far-field stress and change the wall traction from to . These increments are the same in the formerly plastic and formerly elastic regions because their elastic Lamé parameters agree. Adding them to the maximum-load field givesandThese formulae retain : it records the plastic loading history and is not the instantaneous loading-front formula with substituted for . If the entire return is elastic, setting gives the residual stress after removal of the applied pressure.
To check admissibility, examine the signed difference of the principal stresses in the formerly plastic shell:It immediately moves into the interior of the Tresca yield criterion when unloading starts. It can next reach the opposite limit . For fixed , is largest at and stays above . At the wall,There is no earlier violation in the outer region. Indeed,so its magnitude is no larger than , which has already been controlled by the shell calculation. Hence the first reverse yielding occurs at the cavity wall, withIf , the stress stays within the yield surface throughout unloading to zero. If , it reaches reverse yield exactly at ; further unloading would produce reverse plastic deformation. If , reverse plastic deformation starts while the applied pressure is still positive. ThusIf “yield again while unloaded” includes first touching the yield surface at the final endpoint, the corresponding condition is . The displayed elastic unloading fields are physically valid only for ; beyond that interval a new reverse-plastic region must be solved for. Continuing the elastic formula to when would violate the given Tresca yield criterion.
Write . For any and any real , is admissible. Expanding the functional givesSince the left side is nonnegative for positive and negative , its derivative at zero vanishes. Thus the first variation gives the weak formulation
To identify its differential equation, define the stress tensorThis is a symmetric matrix field. The Frobenius inner product of a symmetric matrix with a skew-symmetric matrix is zero, so . Since , we obtainFor smooth compactly supported test functions, integration by parts in each row givesHence as a distributional identity, that is,Membership in supplies the zero Sobolev trace. This identifies precisely the required weak solution of the linear elasticity problem, with row-wise divergence.
For uniqueness, use the exact form of the Korn inequality supplied in the paper. Put and . The deviatoric strain is . Because and , orthogonality for the Frobenius inner product givesIf is the supplied Korn inequality constant and the permitted Poincaré inequality constant, thenConsequently,If are two weak solutions, their difference satisfies for every . Choosing and using this coercive bilinear form estimate forces . The minimizer therefore gives the unique weak solution.
For later use, and also give the bounded bilinear form and linear functional estimatesTogether with the coercive bilinear form estimate and the Lax-Milgram theorem, these would establish existence independently of the assumed minimizer.
On , the bilinear form is symmetric, and part (b) proves . Thus is an inner product: , and equality forces . Its induced energy norm is . For any real scalar ,The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for this inner product follows directly by expanding and minimizing over when . Hencewhich proves the triangle inequality. This verifies every norm axiom. In fact, the estimates from part (b) give the equivalent norms
Subtract the discrete weak formulation from the continuous one to get Galerkin orthogonality,For any , write . The second summand is in , so expansion and Galerkin orthogonality give the Pythagorean theorem in the energy norm:The last term is nonnegative and vanishes exactly when . Choosing attains the lower bound, provingThus is the unique best approximation; the map is the orthogonal projector onto for the linear elasticity energy norm.
Past exam of the materials science course of the University of Cambridge 2017 Paper 1 6 a Solution 2026-10-20
Make the implicit fixed-crack-geometry assumption explicit by writing , where is common to the compared specimens and includes the crack-size dependence needed for dimensional consistency. linear elasticity givesThe appropriate materials merit index is therefore , or its monotonically equivalent square root. This comparison holds crack geometry and the brittle-failure model fixed; changing crack sizes or yielding before fracture changes the selection problem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 47 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Use material coordinates and write the placement as . The strain energy density in the printed convention is per unit reference mass. It is convenient to use the conventional first Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor , soAssume the undeformed reference state is stress-free. With and infinitesimal strain tensor , material isotropy and material frame indifference give the quadratic expansionConsequently the Lamé parameters from hyperelastic energy Hessian areIndeed, differentiating the quadratic expression twice givesthe elastic stiffness tensor of linear elasticity. A prestressed reference state requires the corresponding initial-stress corrections; the displayed formula concerns the natural state.
For a plane elastic wave, , put and . Balance of momentum without body force becomesThis is a material-coordinate equation: the reference density cancels between inertia and nominal stress. If , the first-order system has characteristic speeds and right eigenvectors . Along a characteristic curve with , its differential compatibility relation isThis follows by multiplying the system by the left eigenvector . It does not assert the existence of globally integrable Riemann invariants for an arbitrary three-component constitutive law.
There is a necessary qualification to the finite-amplitude transverse request. Set and , so . The longitudinal momentum equation requiresThus arbitrary nonuniform pure transverse profiles are possible only if the compatibility condition for pure nonlinear transverse waves holds:The third component vanishes by the reflection symmetry implied by isotropy and objectivity. The shear equation then closes:
General compressible hyperelastic material assumptions alone do not imply the required compatibility. For a concrete counterexample, take the Saint Venant–Kirchhoff hyperelastic energyFor , this becomesAt , . A varying shear therefore produces a longitudinal force and cannot preserve . Infinitesimal transverse waves do exist, because this coupling is second order, but a general pure finite-amplitude transverse wave does not.
The compatible nonlinear shear energy class is nonempty and can be genuinely nonlinear. Define , , and, for , takeThis is objective and isotropic. Near , , so it has the specified Lamé parameters. On the plane deformation above, and . Hence at , whileFor positive , the relevant incremental plane moduli are positive. This supplies an explicit stable pure transverse family and, when , amplitude-dependent wave speed.
For any compatible family, letThe equations and give the Riemann invariantsConsider the initially undisturbed half-space . A right-going simple wave has the incoming invariant , so . Denote the prescribed boundary nominal stress by . The physical boundary traction, whose outward normal is , is . Invert the monotone law to obtain . The wave state emitted at boundary time is transported alongAhead of the leading front the state is zero. Before characteristic crossing, these equations determine the unique emission time for each disturbed point. The displacement itself is also determined, rather than just its derivatives:Differentiating the implicit emission relation verifies and , so this is the complete pre-shock simple wave solution.
Write . The boundary-generated characteristic curves lose invertibility whenThus the characteristic crossing in a boundary-generated elastic simple wave criterion isHere . A smoothly increasing boundary stress therefore steepens into a shock wave only when later states travel faster: . Increasing stress alone is insufficient. For the compatible example with and , , so a nonzero increasing ramp produces finite-time crossing. For all rays are parallel and no such shock forms. This criterion locates the first gradient singularity; subsequent discontinuous evolution additionally requires the jump conditions and an admissibility condition.
For a general vector simple wave, replace the pure-shear line by an integral curveSubstitution gives , with the same emission construction and crossing criterion. Boundary tractions must lie on this one-family curve. Generic finite-amplitude quasi-transverse waves may contain longitudinal displacement; arbitrary vector boundary forcing need not generate a single simple wave.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 47 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Take the difference of two solutions with the same body force, initial displacement and initial velocity. It satisfies the homogeneous linear elasticity equations. With the infinitesimal strain tensor, define the bulk energyThe usual stability assumptions make the elastic quadratic form nonnegative and . Multiplying momentum balance by , using integration by parts and using symmetry of the stress tensor givesAll interior terms cancel: the strain term is exactly the time derivative of elastic energy.
For the restoring boundary law, . The prescribed support displacement cancels in the difference. Since is a time-independent symmetric matrix,Hence the elastic energy uniqueness with restoring boundary springs identity isThe boundary contribution is nonnegative because is negative semidefinite. The initial difference and its velocity vanish, so the conserved energy is zero. Its kinetic term implies everywhere; the zero initial displacement then gives . This proves uniqueness without needing to exclude rigid displacements separately.
Physically, is a nonnegative boundary spring-stiffness matrix, and the prescribed vector is the moving support position. The traction restores the displacement towards that support; null directions of have no spring force. The interpretation and conserved-energy proof use a fixed spring matrix, as indicated by the given boundary law.
On the mixed part , write . The condition isThus the tangential traction and normal displacement are prescribed. The normal traction is a constraint reaction; tangential displacement is free. Only the tangential component of matters. On , the entire displacement is prescribed.
For the difference of two such solutions, and on . Consequently is tangential and normal, so . On , . The boundary power vanishes everywhere, giving . The same zero-initial-energy argument gives . Therefore the mixed boundary problem also has at most one solution.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2001 iii Paper 47 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Use the local momentum equation in the current volume:Symmetry of the Cauchy stress tensor and the product rule giveApply the divergence theorem and use . The mean stress and strain boundary identities follow:For infinitesimal strain tensor, , and a second application of the divergence theorem gives
To first order, evaluate self-gravity in the undeformed uniform sphere. The shell theorem says that only the enclosed mass contributes to the inward field. ConsequentlyThe field vanishes at the centre and increases linearly to its surface value.
The requested radius change concerns the final traction-free static elastic equilibrium, not the acceleration immediately after gravity is switched on. In equilibrium the boundary traction and acceleration vanish. Spherical symmetry givesThe homogeneous linear elasticity law commutes with volume averaging:Thus with . This conclusion is about the mean strain, not a claim that the local strain is uniform.
Let the boundary displacement be . Since , the boundary identity gives . Therefore the equilibrium contraction of a self-gravitating elastic sphere isThe shear modulus cancels because the mean deformation is purely volumetric.
The full radial field provides a useful check without assuming uniform deformation. For , momentum balance isRegularity at the centre gives , withfrom . Substitution reproduces . During the transient, the acceleration term in the mean-stress identity remains; gravitational feedback from the small density and shape changes is higher order in the equilibrium calculation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 50 1 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
In the Voigt elastic approximation, every local strain is . The corresponding local stress is . Differentiating the averaged strain energy density under the integral givesThe uniform strain need not generate an equilibrated local stress; this calculation concerns the stated approximation, not an assertion that it solves the heterogeneous boundary problem.
For the Reuss elastic approximation, use the convex conjugateUnder differentiable strictly convex duality, the local strain produced by uniform stress is . Set . Averaging the local strains gives . At the maximizing stress in , the stationarity condition is precisely . ConsequentlyThus the derivative of each approximate energy is its own mean stress, includingFor positive linear elasticity, and , giving the useful check and . More general convex duality gives the same conjugacy relation with subgradients when differentiability or strict convexity is absent.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 54 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
An elastic deformation is reversible: after removal of the deforming loads the material returns to its reference state, and its instantaneous stress is determined by its current deformation rather than a plastic or viscous history. In the infinitesimal approximation the displacement field gives the infinitesimal strain tensor . The Cauchy stress tensor is defined by traction on a plane of unit normal ; absence of body couples makes .
Let be the recoverable elastic energy per unit mass. The local mechanical power per unit volume isbecause the symmetric Cauchy stress tensor annihilates the antisymmetric part of the velocity gradient. Conservation of energy during the deformation gives . Since for arbitrary symmetric strain rates,Here the derivative is the gradient on the space of symmetric tensors, with the double-contraction inner product. This convention accounts for the two occurrences of each off-diagonal entry; treating six independent coordinates without their corresponding factors would give an erroneous factor of two in shear components.
Take a stress-free reference state of mass density . The Taylor series of the elastic energy starts quadratically:Using gives , the relation of linear elasticity. If the reference state has initial stress, the first-order expansion also retains that constant stress. Symmetry of stress and strain gives the minor symmetries , while equality of the mixed second derivatives of elastic energy gives the major symmetry . Thus the elastic stiffness tensor is a symmetric map on a six-dimensional strain space: there are independent coefficients.
For twofold elastic symmetry, choose the symmetry axis as . Rotation through is , and transforms the infinitesimal strain tensor into . Components are even and are odd. Invariance of elastic energy excludes every coupling between these parity classes. In the engineering strain ordering , with corresponding stress ordering , the symmetric stiffness matrix has the formIts symmetric even block has ten independent entries and its symmetric odd block has three. Hence a twofold axis leaves independent coefficients. No invariance under other rotation angles has been assumed.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 54 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
For a homogeneous lossless elastic solid, insert the plane wave into the equations of linear elasticity. Put , , and . The resulting eigenvalue problem isThe minor and major symmetries make this acoustic tensor a real symmetric matrix. For a stable material it is positive-definite, so its three positive eigenvalues give three real positive phase velocities and therefore three slownesses . Coincident eigenvalues are possible, so there need not be three distinct speeds. For distinct eigenvalues the displacement polarization are orthogonal; in an anisotropic solid they are generally quasi-longitudinal and quasi-transverse rather than exactly longitudinal and transverse. Stability, or at least strong ellipticity in elasticity, is required for the assertion about positive real speeds.
The elastic slowness surface is the locus of the three vectors . Its equation isFor each wavefront normal there are three radial sheets, which may meet at degeneracies. To obtain the energy flux directly, multiply the elastic equation by . Forthe symmetry of stress gives . Thus the instantaneous elastic-wave energy flux is . With a real branch polarization , harmonic averaging givesNow differentiate along a regular slowness surface sheet and contract with . The terms containing cancel by symmetry and the original eigenvalue equation, leavingEvery tangent is consequently perpendicular to : the energy flux is normal to the slowness surface. At a degenerate point this statement is made on the limiting branches, rather than assuming a unique normal.
For completeness, equality of the mean kinetic and strain energies gives . Differentiating the acoustic tensor equation in the wavevector variables similarly givesThus the group velocity is the elastic energy velocity. The homogeneous elastic dispersion relation is degree one in , so differentiating at gives .
The elastic wave surface is the unit-time locus of these group velocities. From an impulsive point source, the propagating wavefronts at time are its sheets scaled to . A particular source may fail to excite a mode in some directions, and its amplitudes require the source polarization and geometrical spreading; the wave surface determines the arrival geometry. It does not specify all near-field motion between the radiative fronts. Geometrically it is the envelope of the planes : tangent variation gives , so is the appropriately normalized normal to the slowness surface.
In a symmetry-plane cross-section write , and . The two envelope conditions giveThe numerator is the signed curvature numerator of the slowness surface cross-section. At a simple inflection point, and . Then and are linearly independent. These are precisely the local conditions for an ordinary cusp. The slowness curvature and wave-surface cusps relation explains why a smooth nonconvex slowness surface can generate a cusped wavefront and multiple ray arrivals.
The example below uses a positive orthotropic stiffness in normalized units: , , , , and all normal off-diagonal stiffnesses zero. In the symmetry plane , its two in-plane acoustic tensor eigenvalues are , and its out-of-plane shear speed is . The in-plane shear sheet is nonconvex and produces the marked cusps; the construction uses an actual stable elastic tensor.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2003 iii Paper 78 4 ii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Complete the crack normal to an orthonormal basis with the first two vectors in the crack plane. The seismic moment tensor is diagonal in this basis:Each term gives an elastic force dipole, : two equal and opposite forces in direction , separated along , with moment . Hence there are two identical in-plane dipoles of strength and one normal dipole of strength . For positive opening and ordinary positive Lamé parameters, all are extensional and the normal one is larger by .
More generally, stable isotropic linear elasticity requires and . These imply , so the normal dipole has greater magnitude even if an auxetic material has negative and compressive in-plane dipoles. The point source has zero net force, because it differentiates a delta function, and zero net torque, because its moment tensor is symmetric. Its normal moment distinguishes opening from a pure shear dislocation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 iii Paper 72 4 Solution 2026-10-14
For antiplane shear, the infinitesimal displacement is . The isotropic linear elasticity constitutive law gives and , together with the symmetric entries . All other stress tensor components vanish. Static force balance without body force becomes , so satisfies the Laplace equation.
Locally choose a harmonic conjugate by and . Compatibility follows from the Laplace equation. These are the Cauchy-Riemann equations for , and henceThus the complex stress potential for antiplane shear supplies both stresses and, by integration, the displacement. A global potential must have the displacement periods appropriate to the cracked body; these periods also help fix homogeneous solutions.
For the additional crack-induced field, set and . Only loads the prospective faces, since is tangential to their normal. Denote upper and lower boundary values by . The imposed cancellation of face tractions is . The traction data and geometry are invariant under the displacement reflection . For the induced correction with no independently added loading, uniqueness up to a rigid translation allows the odd displacement choice. Then is even, is odd, and on the real axis. Therefore the Hilbert problem for an antiplane crack isThe second condition expresses continuation through uncracked material. There is real and the additional vanishes. This scalar Riemann-Hilbert problem is supplemented by at most inverse-square-root stress singularities at the crack tips and the usual correction with no additional remote resultant or imposed dislocation. Without a far-field or period normalization, the face conditions alone permit homogeneous terms. The formulas below select this normalized induced field and explicitly identify the excluded terms.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 2 40C b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Average the instantaneous elastic-wave energy flux over one temporal period at fixed position. For complex amplitudes,Write the evanescent P displacement amplitude asFor an isotropic linear elastic material with Lamé parameters , its stress and velocity amplitudes areApart from a real common factor,which is purely imaginary. Its real part vanishes, and henceThe converted P-wave is a reactive near-boundary field and transports no time-averaged acoustic energy in the normal direction.
A small displacement in a homogeneous isotropic elastic solid obeys linear elasticity. With Lamé constants and mass density , momentum balance givesA longitudinal plane wave has displacement parallel to its propagation direction and changes local volume. A transverse wave has perpendicular displacement and produces shear. Substitution givesAn ideal fluid has no static shear modulus and cannot support this bulk transverse elastic wave. A thin rod with free lateral surfaces instead supports an extensional long-wavelength mode with speed ; its transverse contraction changes the effective stiffness, so it should not be identified with the unbounded-solid longitudinal mode.
Stress and displacement boundary conditions produce reflection, transmission, mode conversion and guided waves. Viscoelasticity and scattering can attenuate waves; finite geometry can make guided modes dispersive even when the bulk elastic constants are frequency independent. Wave speed depends on both material stiffness and the allowed deformation.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2013 Paper 1 Section A A1 Solution 2026-10-20
For hydrostatic volume strain from Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio in isotropic linear elasticity, the bulk modulus is . Hydrostatic compression therefore givesHere is the pressure increase, and the negative sign denotes contraction. Equivalently each normal strain is and the three strains add. This is the small-strain isotropic model; concrete's microstructure is represented only through the supplied elastic constants.
For a homogeneous isotropic solid with small displacement , linear elasticity gives . Momentum balance becomesA plane wave with displacement parallel to its wavevector is longitudinal, whereas perpendicular displacement is transverse. Writing for the bulk modulus and for the shear modulus, their bulk speeds areThere are two independent transverse polarizations. The bulk modulus supplies resistance to compression; shear rigidity supplies transverse restoring stress. An ordinary fluid has no static shear rigidity and cannot sustain these propagating bulk shear waves. A thin rod with freely contracting sides instead has longitudinal speed , because its lateral boundary conditions differ from a bulk plane wave. Reflection, refraction and mode conversion occur at interfaces; a free surface also supports Rayleigh waves.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2015 Paper 1 Section C 12 Solution 2026-10-20
Use positive normal stress for tension. On a small rectangular material element, is the normal force per unit area on the face perpendicular to axis , and is the corresponding normal strain. Young's modulus is the ratio of axial normal stress to axial strain in uniaxial stress; Poisson's ratio is minus the transverse-to-axial strain ratio in the same test. Thus isotropic linear elasticity gives and cyclic permutations. The stress symbols here follow the question; denotes Poisson's ratio, not a stress component.
For , the two transverse compliance equations imply . Substitution into the first givesThis uniaxial strain modulus is greater than the uniaxial-stress Young's modulus for the positive Poisson's ratio of interest, because the lateral constraints prevent free Poisson contraction.
For a small twist , the bonded faces' relative tangential displacement at radius is . The layer's shear strain is , so the shear stress is . Integrating the torque givesThe minus sign denotes a restoring torque; the question quotes its magnitude. This uses the disk's polar second moment of area.
For tilt about H, choose in the plate perpendicular to H. The vertical displacement of the bonded top face is to first order, giving normal strain . The thin layer is constrained laterally by bonding, so its leading normal traction is , not . Integrating its moment about H givessince the diametric second moment of area is . This is the specified thin-layer approximation to the torsion and tilt stiffness of a bonded elastic disk. Relaxation near the free cylindrical edge is neglected; for a nearly incompressible layer it can limit quantitative accuracy unless the thinness is sufficient.
The thin square plate's moment of inertia about V is . Its two perpendicular in-plane central moments are equal and sum to , so the diagonal H has . Dividing the two angular stiffnesses by the appropriate moments of inertia givesThe geometry factors cancel in their ratio. Using the supplied relation between shear modulus and Young's modulus,The result lies just below the incompressible isotropic limit , as expected for a rubber with a large compression stiffness compared with its shear modulus. It is an inference within the bonded-layer model, rather than an independently measured material constant.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2016 Paper 1 Section C C12 Solution 2026-10-20
Take as signed distance from the neutral axis within the beam cross-section. Bending into a large radius changes the length of a fibre proportionally to , so linear elasticity gives , up to the curvature sign convention. The moment magnitude isHere is the second moment of area about the neutral axis, with units of length to the fourth power, not the mass moment of inertia. A homogeneous cross-section has its neutral axis through the centroid under pure bending.
For the straight pin-ended beam, the compressive dead load produces bending moment at transverse offset . In the small-slope approximation, curvature is with the corresponding sign convention, givingThe stated endpoints fix positions rather than slopes: this interpretation is consistent with the illustrated end forces and the later sinusoidal unstressed shape. Truly clamped endpoints would have a different threshold. A nonzero solution requires . Thus the first Euler load is . Below it the perfect straight state is stable, at it the first mode is marginal in linear theory, and above it the straight state is unstable. The linear equation selects thresholds but cannot set the amplitude or describe a finite postbuckled equilibrium.
For the initially curved compressed beam, elastic stress responds to the change from its stress-free curvature. With , the moment is , so force balance givesPut and seek the branch continuously connected to the unloaded shape. Since , substitute to obtain , orAway from eigenvalues, the homogeneous solution vanishes under the two end conditions, so this particular solution is the unique linear equilibrium. For and , the maximum additional displacement is and maximum total displacement is , both at midspan.
This sinusoidal imperfection amplification of a column produces deflection at every positive load and strong amplification near . The apparent divergence signals loss of the small-slope model before infinite displacement; nonlinear geometry is needed there. The formal continuation above the first threshold is not a stable physical loading branch. Both total and additional displacement are distinguished in the graph.
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2016 Paper 2 Section B B9 Solution 2026-10-20
Elasticity describes recoverable deformation. For small displacements , the infinitesimal strain tensor is the symmetric part of the displacement gradient,Its diagonal entries describe extension, while its off-diagonal entries describe shear. The engineering shear strain is ; the antisymmetric part of the displacement gradient is a small rigid rotation, not elastic strain.
The stress tensor specifies the force per unit area on each oriented plane: . Positive normal stress is tensile in the convention used here; tangential traction gives shear stress. In the absence of internal couples, angular-momentum balance makes the stress tensor symmetric. Force balance gives in static equilibrium, where is body force per unit volume.
Linear elasticity relates stress and strain. A homogeneous isotropic solid needs two independent elastic constants:Here is the shear modulus and is the other Lamé parameter. For uniaxial loading, Young's modulus is , with lateral contraction described by Poisson's ratio . The bulk modulus is for a small hydrostatic compression. The relations between these constants areStable isotropic elastic strain energy density requires and , implying . The incompressible limit is approached as . Anisotropic crystals generally need more constants; the isotropic relations should not be imposed on arbitrary directions in such a crystal.
The elastic energy density is . In the isotropic linear model this becomes . The quadratic form explains why reversible loading stores energy and unloading can return it, unlike plastic deformation or a dissipative hysteresis cycle.
For a slender beam described by the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation, plane sections approximately remain plane. A fibre a distance from the neutral axis has axial strain , where is curvature, and stress . Integrating its moment about the neutral axis gives, with consistent signs, is a second moment of area, with units of length to the fourth power; it is not a mass moment of inertia. For a rectangular section of width and thickness , , explaining the strong dependence of bending stiffness on thickness. For small transverse deflection , curvature is approximately , and the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation is with a suitable load-sign convention. A cantilever of length under end load has tip deflection and largest bending stress of magnitude , where is the furthest distance from the neutral axis.
In torsion of a solid circular shaft, a cross-section rotated by angle has shear strain . ThereforeHere is the polar second moment of area. A uniform shaft of length under constant torque twists by , and its largest shear stress is . Noncircular sections can warp, so replacing their torsional stiffness by times their polar area moment is not generally valid. Both bending and torsion formulas presume small, elastic deformations; exceeding the elastic limit can produce permanent deformation or fracture.


