A second-order model of small-strain incompatible elasticity

Abstract

This work deals with the modeling of solid continua undergoing incompatible deformations due to the presence of microscopic defects like dislocations. Our approach relies on a geometrical description of the medium by the strain tensor and the representation of internal efforts using zeroth- and second-order strain gradients in an infinitesimal framework. At the same time, energetic arguments allow to monitor the corresponding moduli. We provide mathematical and numerical results to support these ideas in the framework of isotropic constitutive laws.