Gremaud, Pierre-Alain Numerical analysis of a nonconvex variational problem related to solid- solid phase transitions. (English) Zbl 0797.65052 SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 31, No. 1, 111-127 (1994). The description of equilibria of shape memory alloys or other ordered materials gives rise to nonconvex variational problems. In this paper, a two-dimensional model of such materials is studied. Due to the fact that the corresponding functional has two symmetry-related (martensitic) energy wells, the numerical approximation of the deformation gradient does not converge, but tends to oscillate between the two cells, as the size of the mesh is refined. These oscillations may be interpreted in terms of microstructures. Using a nonconforming \(P_ 1\) finite element, an estimate is given for the rate of convergence of the probability for the approximated deformation to have its gradient “near” one of the two (martensitic) wells. Reviewer: M.A.Noor (Riyadh) Cited in 8 Documents MSC: 65K10 Numerical optimization and variational techniques 49M15 Newton-type methods 49J40 Variational inequalities Keywords:nonconvex variational problem; solid-solid phase transitions; oscillations; finite element; rate of convergence PDF BibTeX XML Cite \textit{P.-A. Gremaud}, SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 31, No. 1, 111--127 (1994; Zbl 0797.65052) Full Text: DOI