Application of material forces to hyperelastostatic fracture mechanics. I.Continuum mechanical setting

The concern of this work is a consequent exploitation of the notion of mate rial forces for the application within hyperelastostatic fracture mechanics . Contrary to physical forces, material forces act on the material manifold , thus essentially representing the tendency of defects like cracks or incl usions to move relative to the ambient material. Based on the formulation o f the appropriate quasi-static balance laws in the material space we aim at a fresh look onto classical aspects of hyperelastostatic fracture mechanic s. Operating throughout within the geometrically nonlinear setting we empha size on the one hand the duality of the direct and the inverse motion descr iption and on the other hand we re-establish the classical path integrals f rom elementary equilibrium considerations in the material space. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.