A short course on Tensor algebra and analysis, with applications to differential geometry

Abstract

This text is a support for different courses of the master of Mechanics of the University Paris-Saclay. The content of this text is an introduction, for graduate students, to tensor algebra and analysis. Far from being exhaustive, the text focuses on some subjects, with the intention of providing the reader with the main algebraic tools necessary for a modern course in continuum mechanics. The presentation of tensor algebra and analysis is intentionally done in Cartesian coordinates, that are normally used for classical problems. Then, an entire chapter is devoted to the passage to curvilinear coordinates and to the formalism of co- and contra-variant components. The tensor theory and results are specially applied to introduce some subjects concerning differential geometry of curves and surfaces. Also in this case, the presentation is mainly intended for applications to continuum mechanics.