2009, Mielke, Alexander, Paoli, Laetitia, Petrov, Adrien, Stefanelli, Ulisse

This paper deals with error estimates for space-time discretizations in the context of evolutionary variational inequalities of rate-independent type. After introducing a general abstract evolution problem, we address a fully-discrete approximation and provide a priori error estimates. The application of the abstract theory to a semilinear case is detailed. In particular, we provide explicit space-time convergence rates for the isothermal Souza-Auricchio model for shape-memory alloys.

2008, Mielke, Alexander, Paoli, Laetitia, Petrov, Adrien

This paper deals with a three-dimensional model for thermal stress-induced transformations in shape-memory materials. Microstructure, like twined martensites, is described mesoscopically by a vector of internal variables containing the volume fractions of each phase. We assume that the temperature variations are prescribed. The problem is formulated mathematically within the energetic framework of rate-independent processes. An existence result is proved and temporal regularity is obtained in case of uniform convexity. We study also space-time discretizations and establish convergence of these approximations.