Minimum potential energy principle in elasticity

Let a convex strain energy density have derivative equal to the actual stress tensor. Under mixed displacement and traction data, any equilibrated stress ${\sigma }_0$ with the prescribed body force and boundary tractions represents the external work. For any compatible trial strain ${\epsilon }^{\prime }$, the convex supporting-plane inequality gives $W({\epsilon }^{\prime })-W(\epsilon )\ge \sigma :({\epsilon }^{\prime }-\epsilon )$. The integral of $(\sigma -{\sigma }_0):({\epsilon }^{\prime }-\epsilon )$ vanishes by integration by parts. Thus the actual strain minimizes $\int (W-{\sigma }_0:\epsilon )$.