Calculus of Variations and Geometric Measure Theory

R. Tione

Critical points of degenerate polyconvex energies

created by tione on 24 Mar 2022
modified on 31 Aug 2023

[BibTeX]

Published Paper

Inserted: 24 mar 2022
Last Updated: 31 aug 2023

Journal: SIAM J. Math. Anal.
Year: 2022
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1137/22M1519018

ArXiv: 2203.12284 PDF

Abstract:

We study critical and stationary, i.e. critical with respect to both inner and outer variations, points of polyconvex functionals of the form $f(X) = g(\det(X))$, for $X \in \mathbb{R}^{2\times 2}$. In particular, we show that critical points $u \in Lip(\Omega,\mathbb{R}^2)$ with $\det(Du) \neq 0$ a.e. have locally constant determinant except in a relatively closed set of measure zero, and that stationary points have constant determinant almost everywhere. This is deduced from a more general result concerning solutions $u \in Lip(\Omega,\mathbb{R}^n)$, $\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^n$ to the linearized problem $curl(\beta Du) = 0$. We also present some generalization of the original result to higher dimensions and assuming further regularity on solutions $u$. Finally, we show that the differential inclusion associated to stationarity with respect to polyconvex energies as above is rigid.