Regularity of solutions to a model for solid-solid phase transitions driven by configurational forces

Abstract

In a previous work, we prove the existence of weak solutions to an initial-boundary value problem, with $H^1(\Omega)$ initial data, for a system of partial differential equations, which consists of the equations of linear elasticity and a nonlinear, degenerate parabolic equation of second order. Assuming in this article the initial data is in $H^2(\Omega)$, we investigate the regularity of weak solutions that is difficult due to the gradient term which plays a role of a weight. The problem models the behavior in time of materials with martensitic phase transitions. This model with diffusive phase interfaces was derived from a model with sharp interfaces, whose evolution is driven by configurational forces, and can be thought to be a regularization of that model. Our proof, in which the difficulties are caused by the weight in the principle term, is only valid in one space dimension.