Investigation on the generalized thermoelastic-diffusive problem with variable properties in three different memory-dependent effect theories

Abstract

The applicability of the generalized thermoelastic theories with integer-order derivative in solving anomalous or transient thermoelastic diffusion problems is questionable. Due to the feature of memory-dependence and heredity, the fractional-order derivative and the memory-dependent derivative are introduced to modify the generalized thermoelastic theories for extending their applicability. To demonstrate the features of such theories, the thermoelastic-diffusive dynamic response of an infinite elastic medium containing a spherical cavity with variable material properties is investigated in three different generalized theories with memory-dependent effect, which are incorporated in a unified form. Of them, two are based on fractional-order derivative and the other one is based on the memory-dependent derivative. The corresponding governing equations are formulated and then solved by Laplace transform together with its numerical inversion. The distributions of the non-dimensional temperature, displacement, stress, concentration and chemical potential under the three theories are obtained and illustrated graphically for comparing with those obtained from one of the integer-order theories. The effects of the fractional-order parameter, the time-delay factor, the variable thermal conductivity and diffusivity on the variations of the considered variables are considered and discussed in detail.