The specific features of the limiting transition from a discrete elastic medium to a continuous one

The question of the link between the motions of a discrete elastic medium and its averaged approximation is discussed. It is shown that, in the case of a proper definition of solutions within the framework continuum theory, the motion of a discrete chain of masses can be sufficiently accurately described on the basis of these solutions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.