Numerical solution to a nonlinear, one-dimensional problem of thermoelasticity with volume force and heat supply in a half-space

A numerical solution is presented for a nonlinear, one-dimensional boundary-value problem of thermoelasticity with variable volume force and heat supply in a half-space. The surface of the body is subjected to a given periodic displacement. The volume force and bulk heating simulate the effect of a beam of particles infiltrating the medium. No phase transition is considered and the domain of the solution excludes any shock wave formation. The basic equations are formulated in material coordinates, making them adequate for dealing with moving boundaries. The used numerical scheme reproduces correctly the process of coupled thermomechanical wave propagation. The presented figures display the process of propagation of the coupled nonlinear thermoelastic waves. They also show the effects of volume force and heat supply on the distributions of the mechanical displacements and temperature inside the medium. Moreover, the interplay between these two factors and the applied boundary disturbance is outlined. The presented solutions, however, is not meant to capture the expected process of shock formation at the breaking distance. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.