Nonlinear Elasticity
453
for the
A,
which minimises
(77).
Note, however, that
in
general there
may be more than one
A,
satisfying (78). Points
in
A-space where
(78)
holds are given by
det(A')
=
0,
(79)
where we are regarding
d1
as
a
linear mapping
on
the vector space
of second-order tensors
A.
Equation
(79)
describes
a
hypersurface
in A-space and can be regarded as the stability limit or bifurcation
surface since, on this surface,
S,
A'A,
=
0.
(80)
Following the terminology of Hill
[8,9]
we
refer to
A,
as
an
eigenmode
(an eigenvector of
A'
associated with zero eigenvalue) and the sur-
face
as
an
eigensurface.
Bifurcation occurs since, to the first order
in
A,
A
and
A'
=
A
+
A
correspond to tlie same state
of
stress
S.
In
Figure
1
we depict the stable region of A-space bounded by surfaces
on which
(79)
holds together with
a
path of deformation emanating
from
A
=
I
and terminating at
a
point
on
such
a
surface.
Clearly, in the dead-load traction problem,
local
bifiircation
oc-
curs where
A'
is
singular.
Since, in
(77),
equality holds for
A
=
A,
the stability criterion
(76)
is inappropriate to determine the stabil-
ity status of points on the eigensurface. Referring to
(75)
we see
that stability is determined by the sign of the integrmd for
A
=
A,,
and that this is dependent on third- and liigher-order terms
in
A,;
we do not pursue the details here.
Glohnlly,
different branches of
the solution of the dead-load problem can be found by inverting the
stress-deformation relation
(21)
for an unconstrained material or
(22)
for an incompressible material. Before examining this inversion we
consider the singularities of
A'
for an isotropic elastic material.
For an isotropic elastic material the components of
A'
referred
to the principal axes
u(;)
and
di)
are given by