An analytical study on the geometrical size effect on phase transitions in a slender compressible hyperelastic cylinder

In this paper, we study phase transitions in a slender circular cylinder composed of a compressible hyperelastic material with a non-convex strain-energy function in a loading process. We aim to construct the asymptotic solutions based on an axisymmetrical three-dimensional setting and use the results to describe the key features observed in the experiments by others. By using a methodology involving coupled series-asymptotic expansions, we derive the normal form equation of the original complicated system of non-linear PDEs. Based on a phase-plane analysis, we manage to deduce the global bifurcation properties and to solve the boundary-value problem analytically. The explicit solutions (including post-bifurcation solutions) in terms of integrals are obtained. The engineering stress-strain curve plotted from the asymptotic solutions can capture the key features of the curve measured in some experiments. Our results can also describe the geometrical size effect as observed in experiments. It appears that the asymptotic solutions obtained shed certain light on the instability phenomena associated with phase transitions in a cylinder. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.