What are the 3 main elastic constants?

 

The three main elastic constants that describe the elastic behavior of a material are:

1.     Young's Modulus (E): Young's Modulus, also known as the modulus of elasticity or the elastic modulus, is a measure of a material's stiffness. It quantifies the relationship between stress (force per unit area) and strain (deformation) in the elastic range. Young's Modulus is denoted by the symbol E and is expressed in units of pressure, such as Pascals (Pa) or gigapascals (GPa).

Mathematically, it is represented as:

�=StressStrainE=StrainStress​

2.     Shear Modulus (G): The Shear Modulus, also known as the modulus of rigidity, measures a material's resistance to shear deformation. It quantifies the relationship between shear stress (force parallel to the surface) and shear strain (angular deformation). The symbol for Shear Modulus is G, and it is also expressed in units of pressure (Pa or GPa).

Mathematically, it is represented as:

�=Shear StressShear StrainG=Shear StrainShear Stress​

3.     Bulk Modulus (K): The Bulk Modulus measures a material's resistance to uniform compression or volume change. It quantifies the relationship between hydrostatic stress (pressure) and volumetric strain (change in volume per unit volume). The symbol for Bulk Modulus is K, and it is expressed in units of pressure (Pa or GPa).

Mathematically, it is represented as:

�=−Δ�/�Δ�K=−ΔPΔV/V​

where Δ�ΔV is the change in volume, �V is the original volume, and Δ�ΔP is the change in pressure.

These elastic constants are fundamental properties of materials and play a crucial role in describing their mechanical behavior under different loading conditions. They are particularly important in engineering applications, where the response of materials to stress and strain is a critical factor in designing structures and components.

Top of Form