COURSE - Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics


In these lectures I will present a reasonably self-contained introduction to continuum mechanics and thermodynamics that emphasizes the universal status of the basic balances and the entropy imbalance. These laws – along with the requirement that physical theories be independent of the observer– are viewed as fundamental building blocks upon which to frame theories of material behavior. The general discussion of constitutive equations will be based on the use of thermodynamics to restrict constitutive equations via a paradigm generally referred to as the Coleman–Noll procedure. As applications of this general framework, I will present the following topics: rigid heat conductors, elastic solids under isothermal and nonisothermal conditions; elastic deformation coupled with segregation and diffusion of species, be ionic, atomic, molecular, or chemical; if time permits, I will also give a short introduction to rate-independent plasticity. For all these subjects, I will consider general large-deformation theories as well as corresponding small-deformation theories. Prerequisites are basic notions on calculus and mechanics. Few nonstandard mathematical tools will be introduced with care, if necessary.

February 22, 24, 26, 2021 - March 1, 3, 5, 2021

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