Thermomechanics of shells undergoing phase transition

The resultant, two-dimensional thermomechanics of shells undergoing diffusionless, displacive phase transitions of martensitic type of the shell material is developed. In particular, we extend the resultant surface entropy inequality by introducing two temperature fields on the shell base surface: the referential mean temperature and its deviation, with corresponding dual fields: the referential entropy and its deviation. Additionally, several extra surface fields related to the deviation fields are introduced to assure that the resultant surface entropy inequality be direct implication of the entropy inequality of continuum thermomechanics. The corresponding constitutive equations for thermoelastic and thermoviscoelastic shells of differential type are worked out. Within this formulation of shell thermomechanics, we also derive the thermodynamic continuity condition along the curvilinear phase interface and propose the kinetic equation allowing one to determine position and quasistatic motion of the interface relative to the base surface. The theoretical model is illustrated by two axisymmetric numerical examples of stretching and bending of the circular plate undergoing phase transition within the range of small deformations. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.