Frustrating geometry: Elastic theory of non-Euclidean plates

TYPETheor./Math. Physics Seminar
Speaker:Efi Efrati
Affiliation:Weizmann Institute
Date:03.06.2015
Time:12:30 - 13:30
Location:Lidow Nathan Rosen (300)
Abstract:Growth in living tissue as well as plastic deformations in amorphous materials can be considered as processes prescribing new rest-lengths in the material. Often, the newly prescribed rest-lengths will be incompatible with the rules of Euclidean space resulting in geometric frustration and residual stress. In such cases, the standard tool-box of linear elasticity that starts by measuring displacements from a stress free configuration cannot be used. Non-Euclidean plates are a type of thin frustrated elastic bodies that can be realized for example by the simple tearing of a thin plastic sheet, or by growth in many plant leaves. I will describe the elastic description of general frustrated structures, and in particular describe the elastic theory of non-Euclidean plates, and review some key results characteristic to these thin frustrated bodies.