Loss of Ellipticity in Plane Deformation of a Simple Directionally Reinforced Incompressible Nonlinearly Elastic Solid

Abstract

Change of type in the governing equations of equilibrium is examined in the context of a base neo-Hookean response augmented with unidirectional reinforcing that is characterized by a single additional constitutive parameter for strength of reinforcement. Plane deformations interpreted in terms of both local and global plane strain are considered. Loss of ordinary ellipticity is found to occur for sufficiently large strength of reinforcement under sufficiently severe deformation which necessarily involves contraction in the reinforcing direction. Loss of ellipticity in local plane strain is easily characterized, and its incipient breakdown is associated with the possible emergence of surfaces of weak discontinuity with orientation normals in the reinforcing direction. Loss of ellipticity in global plane strain is given a two-dimensional manifold characterization in a space involving 2 deformation parameters and the strength of reinforcing parameter. Orientation normals for the associated surfaces of weak discontinuity at incipient breakdown do not in general conform to the reinforcing direction.