Dynamic thermoelastic phase transitions

This paper summarizes some recent work carried out jointly with R. Abeyaratne on the continuum modeling of phase transitions in thermoelastic tensile bars. The specific model considered involves a particular Helmholtz free energy potential governing the bulk response of the material as well as a kinetic relation controlling the phase transition. Inertia is taken into account. The discussion here is based on an adiabatic model.