Realizing the Willis equations with pre-stresses

This paper proves that the linear elastic behavior of the material with inhomogeneous pre-stresses can be described by the Willis equations. In this case, the additional terms in the Willis equations, compared with the classical linear elastic equations for homogeneous media, are related to the gradient of pre-stresses. In this way, the material length scale is naturally incorporated in the framework of continuum mechanics. All these findings also coincide with the results of transformation elastodynamics, so that they can meet the requirement of the principle of material objectivity and the principle of general invariance. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.