Classification of first strain-gradient elasticity tensors by symmetry planes

First strain-gradient elasticity is a generalized continuum theory capable of modelling size effects in materials. This extended capability comes from the inclusion in the mechanical energy density of terms related to the strain-gradient. In its linear formulation, the constitutive law is defined by three elasticity tensors whose orders range from four to six. In the present contribution, the symmetry properties of the sixth-order elasticity tensors involved in this model are investigated. If their classification with respect to the orthogonal symmetry group is known, their classification with respect to symmetry planes is still missing. This last classification is important since it is deeply connected with some identification procedures. The classification of sixth-order elasticity tensors in terms of invariance properties with respect to symmetry planes is given in the present contribution. Precisely, it is demonstrated that there exist 11 reflection symmetry classes. This classification is distinct from the one obtained with respect to the orthogonal group, according to which there exist 17 different symmetry classes. These results for the sixth-order elasticity tensor are very different from those obtained for the classical fourth-order elasticity tensor, since in the latter case the two classifications coincide. A few numerical examples are provided to illustrate how some different orthogonal classes merge into one reflection class.