Abstract: We discuss the limiting behavior (using the notion of -limit) of the 3d nonlinear elasticity for thin shells around an arbitrary smooth 2d surface. In particular, under the assumption that the elastic energy of deformations scales like , being the thickness of a shell, we derive a limiting theory which is a generalization of the von Kármán theory for plates.</p>

<p>Work done in collaboration with M.G. Mora and M.R. Pakzad.</p>