Mathematical approach to the relaxation phenomena.
In this paper we prove existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence for a one-dimensional time-dependent problem related to a thermo-mechanical model of structural phase transitions in solids. This model assumes the free energy depending on temperature, macroscopic deformation and also on the proportions of the phases. Here we neglect regularizing terms in the momentum balance equation and in the constitutive laws for the phase proportions.
The integral constitutive equations of a multipolar viscoelastic material are analyzed from the thermodynamic point of view. They are shown to be approximated by those of the differential-type viscous materials when the processes are slow. As a consequence of the thermodynamic compatibility of the viscoelastic model, the coefficients of viscosity of the approximate viscous model are shown to have an Onsager-type symmetry. This symmetry was employed earlier in the proof of the existence of solutions...