Compatibility conditions of continua using Riemann–Cartan geometry

Abstract

The compatibility conditions for generalised continua are studied in the framework of differential geometry, in particular Riemann–Cartan geometry. We show that Vallée’s compatibility condition in linear elasticity theory is equivalent to the vanishing of the three-dimensional Einstein tensor. Moreover, we show that the compatibility condition satisfied by Nye’s tensor also arises from the three-dimensional Einstein tensor, which appears to play a pivotal role in continuum mechanics not mentioned before. We discuss further compatibility conditions that can be obtained using our geometrical approach and apply it to the microcontinuum theories.