Variational principles for linear coupled thermoelasticity

Abstract

Several variational principles are derived for the initial-boundary-value problem of fully coupled linear thermoelasticity for an inhomogeneous, anisotropic continuum. A consistent set of field variables is employed and a method based on the Laplace transform is used to incorporate the initial conditions explicitly into the formulation. These principles lend themselves readily to numerical solutions based on an extended Ritz method.