Thermodynamics of no-tension materials

This paper presents a constitutive equation for no-tension materials in the presence of thermal expansion that accounts for the temperature-dependence of their material’s constants. Specifically, assuming that the symmetric part of the displacement gradient minus the thermal dilatation is small, an explicit expression is given for stress from which the free energy, internal energy, entropy and enthalpy are obtained. Then, the equilibrium energy equations of a no-tension solid are presented, and we observe that, under further suitable hypotheses, thermo-mechanical uncoupling occurs. Finally, the work lost during an adiabatic process by two spherical containers made of a linear elastic and a no-tension material are compared.