Each
material has a
specific relationship between
stresses in the material (for example, due to
external forces) and the
resulting distortions of
shape and
volume. This relationship is expressed - in idealized form - by
constitutive equations. One of the more
well-known examples, named after
Robert Hooke, are the equations that
describe the
mechanical behavior of
solids under the
idealization of
elasticity,
isotropy and
linearity.
May 3, 2001