Energetic evolutions for linearly elastic plates with cohesive slip

Abstract

A quasistatic model for a horizontally loaded thin elastic composite at small strains is studied. The composite consists of two adjacent plates whose interface behaves in a cohesive fashion with respect to the slip of the two layers. We allow for different loading–unloading regimes, distinguished by the presence of an irreversible variable describing the maximal slip reached during the evolution. Existence of energetic solutions, characterized by equilibrium conditions together with energy balance, is proved by means of a suitable version of the Minimizing Movements scheme. A crucial tool to achieve compactness of the irreversible variable are uniform estimates in Hölder spaces, obtained through the regularity theory for elliptic systems. The case in which the two plates may undergo a damage process is also considered.