A two-dimensional continuum model of pantographic sheets moving in a 3D space and accounting for the offset and relative rotations of the fibers

Recently growing attention has been paid to the particular class of metamaterials which has been called pantographic. Pantographic metamaterials have the following peculiar features: (i) their continuum model, at the macroscale, has to include a term of the deformation energy depending on the second gradient of placement, (ii) they can show an elastic behavior in large deformation regimes, and (iii) they are resilient and tough during rupture phenomena (dell'Isola et al. 2015). In order to predict pantographic metamaterials' mechanical behavior, it is possible to introduce a three-dimensional continuum micromodel, in which their internal geometrical microstructure is described in detail. However, the computational costs of this choice are presently prohibitive. In this paper, we introduce a reduced order model for pantographic sheets-which are an example of an elastic surface-whose kinematics include, for each of the two constituting families of fibers fully independent three-dimensional (i) placement and (ii) rotation fields. In this way it is possible to include, also in the reduced order model, (i) the initial and the actual offset between the fibers and (ii) the deformation energy of the interconnecting pivots. By postulating a simplified expression for the deformation energy we prove that also a reduced order model can describe some experimental observed buckling and postbuckling phenomena. The promising results which we present here motivate the quest of more general expressions for deformation energy capable of capturing the fully nonlinear behavior exhibited by pantographic sheets

Well-posedness of Hydrodynamics on the Moving Elastic Surface

The dynamics of a membrane is a coupled system comprising a moving elastic surface and an incompressible membrane fluid. We will consider a reduced elastic surface model, which involves the evolution equations of the moving surface, the dynamic equations of the two-dimensional fluid, and the incompressible equation, all of which operate within a curved geometry. In this paper, we prove the local existence and uniqueness of the solution to the reduced elastic surface model by reformulating the model into a new system in the isothermal coordinates. One major difficulty is that of constructing an appropriate iterative scheme such that the limit system is consistent with the original system.Comment: The introduction is rewritte

The fundamental constants and their variation: observational status and theoretical motivations

This article describes the various experimental bounds on the variation of the fundamental constants of nature. After a discussion on the role of fundamental constants, of their definition and link with metrology, the various constraints on the variation of the fine structure constant, the gravitational, weak and strong interactions couplings and the electron to proton mass ratio are reviewed. This review aims (1) to provide the basics of each measurement, (2) to show as clearly as possible why it constrains a given constant and (3) to point out the underlying hypotheses. Such an investigation is of importance to compare the different results, particularly in view of understanding the recent claims of the detections of a variation of the fine structure constant and of the electron to proton mass ratio in quasar absorption spectra. The theoretical models leading to the prediction of such variation are also reviewed, including Kaluza-Klein theories, string theories and other alternative theories and cosmological implications of these results are discussed. The links with the tests of general relativity are emphasized.Comment: 56 pages, l7 figures, submitted to Rev. Mod. Phy

Surface plasticity: theory and computation

Surfaces of solids behave differently from the bulk due to different atomic rearrangements and processes such as oxidation or aging. Such behavior can become markedly dominant at the nanoscale due to the large ratio of surface area to bulk volume. The surface elasticity theory (Gurtin and Murdoch in Arch Ration Mech Anal 57(4):291–323, 1975) has proven to be a powerful strategy to capture the size-dependent response of nano-materials. While the surface elasticity theory is well-established to date, surface plasticity still remains elusive and poorly understood. The objective of this contribution is to establish a thermodynamically consistent surface elastoplasticity theory for finite deformations. A phenomenological isotropic plasticity model for the surface is developed based on the postulated elastoplastic multiplicative decomposition of the surface superficial deformation gradient. The non-linear governing equations and the weak forms thereof are derived. The numerical implementation is carried out using the finite element method and the consistent elastoplastic tangent of the surface contribution is derived. Finally, a series of numerical examples provide further insight into the problem and elucidate the key features of the proposed theory. © 2017 Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Natur