Elastoplasticity of gradient-polyconvex materials

Abstract

We propose a model for rate-independent evolution in elastoplastic materials under external loading, which allows large strains. In the setting of strain-gradient plasticity with multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient, we prove the existence of the so-called energetic solution. The stored energy density function is assumed to depend on gradients of minors of the deformation gradient which makes our results applicable to shape-memory materials, for instance.