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The Biot strain tensor uses $f(\lambda )=\lambda -1$, so $E^{(1)}=U-I$. Its principal values are extension ratios minus one. It is a spectral strain measure, since $f(1)=0$, $f^{\prime }(1)=1$ and $f^{\prime }>0$. Its reference-volume work conjugate is the symmetric Biot stress.

For the polar decomposition of an invertible real matrix, start with $C=F^{T}F$. For nonzero $y$, $y^{T}Cy=|Fy{|}^2>0$, since $\det F>0$ makes $F$ invertible. The spectral theorem for real symmetric matrices gives an orthonormal basis $n_a$ with $C{n}_a={\lambda }_a^2{n}_a$ and ${\lambda }_a>0$. DefineThen $U$ is a positive-definite symmetric matrix, $U^2=C$, andbecause $\det U=\sqrt{\det (F^{T}F)}=\det F$. Thus $R$ is an orthogonal matrix with positive determinant. Set $V=RU{R}^T$; it too is a positive-definite symmetric matrix, and $VR=RU=F$. Moreover $V^2=F{F}^T$. This provesThe positive square root is unique: any positive symmetric square root of $C$ commutes with $C$, preserves its eigenspaces and has the positive scalar square root on each of them. Hence $U$, then $R$ and $V$, are unique. These are the right stretch tensor, rotation and left stretch tensor of the polar decomposition in continuum mechanics.

A standard spectral strain measure isTake $f\in C^1(0,\infty )$, $f(1)=0$ and $f^{\prime }(1)=1$, with $f$ strictly increasing; the customary stronger condition $f^{\prime }(\lambda )>0$ gives a regular one-to-one parameterization of all positive principal stretches. The zero condition makes a rigid rotation strain free, monotonicity distinguishes extension from contraction and prevents nonunit stretch from being strain free, and the derivative normalization gives the ordinary infinitesimal strain. Indeed, for $F=I+H$,Under a superposed spatial rotation $F\mapsto QF$, $F^{T}F$ and hence $E^f$ remain unchanged, giving material frame indifference. Choosing $f(\lambda )=\lambda -1$ satisfies all these conditions and gives the Biot strain tensor

The meaning of work-conjugate stress and strain here is that a symmetric material tensor $T^f$ satisfiesfor every admissible rate, with both powers measured per reference volume. To keep the nominal-stress index convention explicit, write $M_{iI}=P_{Ii}$, so $M=P^T$ and the power is $M:\dot{F}$. Differentiating $F=RU$ gives $\dot{F}=R(\Omega U+\dot{U})$, where $\Omega =R^T\dot{R}$ is skew. Conservation of angular momentum gives symmetry of $M{F}^T$, or equivalently of $R^{T}MU$. ThereforeThe first term vanishes because a symmetric tensor has zero contraction with a skew tensor. Since ${\dot{E}}^{(1)}=\dot{U}$, the symmetric Biot stress isIf the nominal stress is instead stored spatial-index first as $M$, the same answer is $\mathrm{sym}(R^{T}M)$. The symmetrization is essential: $PR$ need not itself be symmetric.

Use the material-first nominal stress $P_{Ii}$ and $F=RU$. The symmetric Biot stress conjugate to the Biot strain tensor is $T^{(1)}=\mathrm{sym}(PR)$. To prove it, set $M=P^T$ and differentiate $F=RU$. Conservation of angular momentum makes $M{F}^T$ symmetric, so the contraction of $R^{T}M$ with $R^T\dot{R}U$ is zero: it is a contraction of a symmetric tensor with a skew tensor after cyclically moving $U$. Thus $M:\dot{F}=\mathrm{sym}(R^{T}M):\dot{U}=T^{(1)}:{\dot{E}}^{(1)}$. No assumption that $PR$ itself is symmetric is needed.