Quasi-static universal motions of homogeneous monotropic elastic rods

Abstract

This thesis deals with solutions to the dynamic field equations for a director theory of rods. In order to make the analysis feasible, only quasi static motion is considered. Further simplification is obtained by using monotropic symmetry in the constitutive relations. The universal solutions to six different kinds of deformation problems for monotropic elastic rods are given and the monotropic symmetry axis for the different cases are presented. The results are based on homogeneous normal deformations, which excludes transverse shear deformation, and are confined to uniform rods, whose configurations are always straight, circular or helical.