Chapter 5

The equations of linear elasticity

ij,j
+ F
i
=

2
u
i
t
2
(5.2)
Constitutive equations:

ij
=
ij
e
kk
+ 2e
ij
(5.3)
5.2 Displacement formulation: The Navier-Lame equations
Solve for the displacements:
( + )u
k,ki
+ u
i,kk
+ F
i
=

2
u
i
t
2
(5.4)
or symbolically:
( + ) grad div u +
2
u + F =

2
u
t
2
, (5.5)
which is equivalent to:
( + 2) grad div u curl curl u + F =

2
u
t
2
. (5.6)
This is a system of three coupled linear elliptic PDEs for the three displacements u
i
(x
j
).
5.3 Stress formulation: The static Beltrami-Mitchell equations
For static deformations, we have
1
1 +

ii,jj
..
,jj
+F
i,i
= 0 or symbolically
1
1 +

2
+ div F = 0. (5.7)
and the stresses full the Beltrami-Mitchell equations:

ij,kk
. .

2
ij
+
1
1 +

kk,ij
. .
,ij
+

1

ij
F
k,k
..
div F
+F
j,i
+ F
i,j
= 0. (5.8)
(5.8) represents a system of six coupled linear elliptic PDEs for the six stress components
ij
(x
j
).
When these have been determined, the strains can be recovered from (4.6) or (4.16). Then the
displacements follow from (5.1). They are only determined up to arbitrary rigid body motions.
12
MT30271 Elasticity: The equations of linear elasticity 13
5.4 Simplications for F = const.:
For constant (or vanishing!) body force, the stress, strain and displacement components are bihar-
monic functions,
u
i,jjkk
= 0
ij,kkll
= 0 e
ij,kkll
= 0 (5.9)
or symbolically:

4
u = 0
4

ij
= 0
4
e
ij
= 0. (5.10)
The dilation and the trace of the stress tensor are harmonic functions:
u
j,jkk
= d
,kk
= 0
jj,kk
=
,kk
= 0 (5.11)
or symbolically:

2
d = 0
2
= 0 (5.12)
Note that in (5.4) (5.8) F acts as an inhomogeneity in a system of linear equations. The system
can be transformed into a homogeneous system for u
h
= uu
p
(with dierent boundary conditions)
if a particular solution u
p
(which does not have to full the boundary conditions) can be found.
5.5 Boundary conditions:
Displacement (Dirichlet) boundary conditions: Prescribed displacement eld u
(0)
i
.
u
i
|
D
= u
(0)
i
(5.13)
Stress (Neumann) boundary conditions: Prescribed (applied) traction t
(0)
i
on boundary. Note that
n
j
is the outer unit normal vector on the elastic body.
t
i
|
D
=
ij
n
j
|
D
= t
(0)
i
(5.14)
Mixed (Robin) boundary conditions elastic foundation represented by the stiness tensor k
ij
.
Physically, this implies that the traction which the elastic foundation exerts on the body is propor-
tional to the boundary displacement. This can be combined with an applied traction t
(0)
i
as in the
Neumann case.
(t
i
+ k
ij
u
j
) |
D
= (
ij
n
j
+ k
ij
u
j
) |
D
= t
(0)
i
(5.15)
MT30271 Elasticity: The equations of linear elasticity 14
Governing Equations in Cylindrical Polar Coordinates
x
1
= x = r cos , x
2
= y = r sin , x
3
= z = z.
u = (u
r
, u

, u
z
), e = (e
ij
), = (
ij
), where i, j = r, , z.
Vector calculus:
gradf =
f
r
r +
1
r
f

+
f
z
z, div u =
1
r
(ru
r
)
r
+
1
r
u

+
u
z
z
,
curl u =
_
1
r
u
z

z
_
r +
_
u
r
z

u
z
r
_

+
_
1
r
(ru

)
r

1
r
u
r

_
z.
Stress-strain relations have the same form as in Cartesian coordinates:

ij
=
ij
div u + 2e
ij
, i, j = r, , z.
Stress-displacement relations:

rr
= div u + 2
u
r
r
,

= div u + 2
_
1
r
u

+
u
r
r
_
,
zz
= div u + 2
u
z
z
,

=

r

=
u

r

u

r
+
1
r
u
r

,

rz

=

zr

=
u
z
r
+
u
r
z
,

z

=

z

=
1
r
u
z

+
u

z
.
Strain-displacement relations:
e
rr
=
u
r
r
, e

=
1
r
u

+
u
r
r
, e
zz
=
u
z
z
,
2e
r
= 2e
r
=
u

r

u

r
+
1
r
u
r

, 2e
rz
= 2e
zr
=
u
r
z
+
u
z
r
, 2e
z
= 2e
z
=
1
r
u
z

+
u

z
.
Equilibrium equations (statics): for the displacement formulation, use Naviers equation,
( + 2) graddiv u curl curl u + F = 0,
whereas for the stress formulation, use

rr
r
+
1
r

+

rz
z
+

rr

r
+ F
r
= 0

r
r
+
1
r

+

z
z
+
2
r

r
+ F

= 0

rz
r
+
1
r

+

zz
z
+
1
r

rz
+ F
z
= 0.
Stress boundary conditions: these are when t is prescribed. We have, from t
i
= n
j

ij
,
t
r
= n
r

rr
+ n

r
+ n
z

rz
t

= n
r

r
+ n

+ n
z

z
t
z
= n
r

rz
+ n

z
+ n
z

zz
MT30271 Elasticity: The equations of linear elasticity 15
Governing Equations in Spherical Polar Coordinates
x
1
= x = r sin cos , x
2
= y = r sin sin, x
3
= z = r cos .
u = (u
r
, u

, u

), e = (e
ij
), = (
ij
), where i, j = r, , .
Vector calculus:
gradf =
f
r
r +
1
r
f

+
1
r sin
f

,
div u =
1
r
2
sin
_

r
(r
2
sin u
r
) +

(r sin u

) +

(ru

)
_
,
curl u =
1
r
2
sin

r r

r sin

u
r
ru

r sinu

.
Stress-strain relations have the same form as in Cartesian coordinates:

ij
=
ij
div u + 2e
ij
, i, j = r, , .
Stress-displacement relations:

rr
= div u + 2
u
r
r
,

= div u +
2
r
_
u

+ u
r
_
,

= div u +
2
r
_
1
sin
u

+ u
r
+ u

cot
_
,

r

=

r

=
u

r

u

r
+
1
r
u
r

=

r

=
1
r sin
u
r

+
u

r

u

r
,

=
1
r sin
u

+
1
r
u

cot
r
.
Strain-displacement relations:
e
rr
=
u
r
r
, e

=
1
r
u

+
u
r
r
, e

=
1
r sin
u

+
u
r
r
+
u

cot
r
,
2e
r
= 2e
r
=
u

r

u

r
+
1
r
u
r

, 2e
r
= 2e
r
=
1
r sin
u
r

+
u

r

u

r
,
2e

= 2e

=
1
r sin
u

+
1
r
u

cot
r
.
Equilibrium equations (statics): for the displacement formulation, use Naviers equation,
( + 2) graddiv u curl curl u + F = 0,
whereas for the stress formulation, use

rr
r
+
1
r

+
1
r sin

+
2
rr

+ cot
r
r
+ F
r
= 0

r
r
+
1
r

+
1
r sin

+
3
r
+ (

) cot
r
+ F

= 0

r
r
+
1
r

+
1
r sin

+
3
r
+ 2

cot
r
+ F

= 0.
Stress boundary conditions: these are when t is prescribed. We have, from t
i
= n
j

ij
,
t
r
= n
r

rr
+ n

r
+ n

r
t

= n
r

r
+ n

+ n

= n
r

r
+ n

+ n