Null Lagrangians in linear theories of micropolar type and few other generalizations of elasticity

Abstract

In the context of linear theories of generalized elasticity including those for homogeneous micropolar media, quasicrystals, piezoelectric and piezomagnetic media, we explore the concept of null Lagrangians. For obtaining the family of null Lagrangians we employ the sufficient conditions of H. Rund. In some cases a non-zero null Lagrangian is found and the stored energy admits a split into a null Lagrangian and a remainder. However, the null Lagrangian vanishes whenever the relevant elasticity tensor obeys certain symmetry conditions which can be construed as an analogue of the Cauchy relations.