Continuum Kinematics

Abstract

A material body (continuum) in motion, starting from an initial state (t = 0) ≡ t ₀, will have different configurations over time, (see Figure 2.1). In this Chapter we will study the description of motion also called Kinematics, thus establishing the equations of motion that allow us to characterize how the continuum evolves and how continuum properties, e.g. displacement, velocity, acceleration, mass density, temperature, etc., change over time. To do this, we will consider the initial configuration, also known as the reference or undeformed configuration, characterized by material body B ₀ at time t = 0, and we will also consider the generic configuration B _t at time t called the current configuration, also known as the actual or deformed configuration.