Explicit examples of extremal quasiconvex quadratic forms that are not polyconvex

Abstract

We prove that if the associated fourth order tensor of a quadratic form has a linear elastic cubic symmetry then it is quasiconvex if and only if it is polyconvex, i.e. a sum of convex and null-Lagrangian quadratic forms. We prove that allowing for slightly less symmetry, namely only cyclic and axis-reflection symmetry, gives rise to a class of extremal quasiconvex quadratic forms, that are not polyconvex. Non-affine boundary conditions on the potential are identified which allow one to obtain sharp bounds on the integrals of these extremal quasiconvex quadratic forms of $\nabla u$ over an arbitrary region.