Rank-one convexity, polyconvexity, and extremality for three-dimensional elasticity tensors in various symmetry classes

Abstract

It has been known that, for quadratic functions, quasiconvexity equals rank-one convexity but need not equal polyconvexity. While there is an explicit characterization of polyconvexity for quadratic energies, a similar characterization for quasiconvexity is not known in dimensions $n,N \geq 3.$ This paper is concerned with the search of extremal quasiconvex quadratic forms regarded as a linear elastic energy in dimensions $N=n=3$ in various symmetry classes of the elasticity tensor. In particular, we prove that for tensors with orthotropic symmetry, quasiconvexity implies polyconvexity, and thus the orthotropic class contains no nontrivial extremals. We show that this equivalence fails first at trigonal symmetry, where among some statemets, we provide a one-parameter family of non-polyconvex trigonal extreme rays. We also provide some general criteria for proving rank-one convexity, polyconvexity, and extremality, improving a result in [\ref{bib:Har.Hov.}].