Principles of virtual work and complementary virtual work for Cosserat media

Abstract

The principle of a virtual work for a Cosserat medium is discussed. A principle of complementary virtual work for Cosserat media is given, providing an extension of the Dorn and Schild ‘Converse to the Virtual Work Theorem for Deformable Solids’ (1956) to general Cosserat media. As with the virtual work principle itself, the complementary virtual work principle is independent of the specific rheological character of the medium. Applications are briefly discussed.