Abstract

In 2001 Friesecke, James and Muler derived Kirchhoff's plate theory as a thin film limit from 3d nonlinear elasticity. The admissible limiting deformations are given by $W^{2,2}$ isometric immersions from a subset of $R2$ into $R3$. The Kirchhoff energy of a limiting deformation $u$ is given by the $L2$-norm of $\nabla2 u$.

We derive an optimal regularity result for minimizers of this energy functional within the above class (plus suitable boundary conditions). As a by-product we derive the Euler-Lagrange equations (locally) satisfied by critical points.

TUESDAY, October 28, 2008
Time: 1:30 P.M.
Location: PPB 300