Weak convergence theory for strong materials with p(x)-growth

Abstract

Let L: Ω × Rm × Rm × n → R be a Caratheodory integrand with $$c_1 |\nu |^{p(x)} + c_2 \leqslant L(x,u,\nu ) \leqslant c_3 |\nu |^{p(x)} + c_4 ,c_3 \geqslant c_1 > 0,n + \varepsilon \leqslant p( \cdot ) \leqslant p 0.$$ Under these assumptions the weak convergence theory holds for the integral functional \(J(u): = \int\limits_\Omega {L(x,u(x),Du(x))dx} \) without further requirements. Weak convergence theory includes lower seraicontinuity with respect to the weak convergence of Sobolev functions, the convergence in energy property (weak convergence of Sobolev functions and convergence in energy imply the strong convergence of the functions), the integral representation for the relaxed energy and related questions. The results of the weak convergence theory follows from a characterization of gradient Young measures associated with these functionals.