Past exam of the elasticity and plasticity course of the University of Oxford / 2009 / 1 / b / ii / Solution

Differentiating the displacement givesThe isotropic stress is diagonal, withThe two transverse traction-free conditions set the latter entries to zero. Hence $\lambda =2\nu (\lambda +\mu )$ andSubstitution shows $E=2\mu (1+\nu )$; solving for the two Lamé parameters givesTo determine the allowed interval without assuming signs not given, put $K=\lambda +2\mu /3>0$. Then $\nu =(3K-2\mu )/[2(3K+\mu )]$, soTherefore $\boxed{-1<\nu <1/2}$. The endpoints would require a degenerate elastic modulus, so they are excluded by the strict material inequalities.