Homogenization of the Prager model in one-dimensional plasticity

Abstract

We propose a new method for the homogenization of hysteresis models of plasticity. For the one-dimensional wave equation with an elasto-plastic stress-strain relation we derive averaged equations and perform the homogenization limit for stochastic material parameters. This generalizes results of the seminal paper by Francu and Krejcí. Our approach rests on energy methods for partial differential equations and provides short proofs without recurrence to hysteresis operator theory. It has the potential to be extended to the higher dimensional case.