MCEN 5023/ASEN 5012 Chapter 2

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Fall, 2006

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Scalar, Vector, and Tensor
Scalar A physical quantity that can be completely described by a real number. Example: Temperature; Mass; Density; Potential. The expression of its component is independent of the choice of the coordinate system. Vector a A physical quantity that has both direction and length. Example: Displacement; Velocity; Force; Heat flow; . The expression of its components is dependent of the choice of the coordinate system. Tensor A A 2nd order tensor defines an operation that transforms a vector to another vector

A tensor contains the information about the directions and the magnitudes in those directions. In general, Scalar is a 0th order tensor; Vector is A 1st order tensor; 2nd order tensor; 3rd order tensor

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vectors and Vector Algebra
A vector is a physical quantity that has both direction and length
What do we mean the two vectors are equal?

X3

The two vectors have the same length and direction

What is a unit vector?

X2 X1

The length of a unit vector is one

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vectors and Vector Algebra
In a Cartesian coordinate, a vector can be expressed by three ordered scalars

X3

a3

a = a1e1 + a2e 2 + a3e 3 = ai ei

i =1

a2
X2

Summation convention

a = ai ei
X1

a1

Dummy index and free index

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Sum:

a + b = (ai + bi )ei

Scalar Multiplication

a = ai ei
a b = a b cos (a, b )

Dot Product

Cross Product

e1 e 2 a b = a1 a2 b1 b2

e3 a3 b3
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Sum:

X2

a + b = (ai + bi )e i

a+b
Properties of Sum

b a
X1 Parallelogram law of addition

a+b =b+a

(a + b ) + c = a + (b + c)
a + ( a ) = o
a+o =a

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Scalar Multiplication

a = aiei

X2

Properties of Scalar Multiplication

a (>0) a
X1

( )a = ( a ) ( + )a = a + a
(a + b ) = a + b

a (<0)

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Dot Product

a b = a b cos (a, b )

Properties of Dot Product

ab = ba
ao = o

a ( b + c ) = (a b ) + (a c )

aa > 0 a o

and

a a = 0 a =o
Direction of a vector:

a = aa ab = o

norm of a

a2 = a a
a is orthogonal to b

a a n= = a aa
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra Components of a vector

e1
a
Symbolic expression Component expression

a e1

ai e i

X2

X2

a
X1 X1
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
Dot Product

a b = a b cos (a, b )

Three basis vectors of a Cartesian coordinate

ei

i=1,2,3

1 i = j ei e j = = ij 0 i j
Properties of
ij

1 i = j ij = 0 i j

Kronecker delta

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra Cross Product

e1 a b = a1 b1

e2 a2 b2

e3 a3 b3

Permutation symbol

ijk

1 even permutatio n = 1 odd permutatio n 0 repeated index

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra Physical Meaning of Cross Product b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra Properties of Cross Product

e1 a b = a1 b1

e2 a2 b2

e3 a3 b3

a b = b a

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra Triple scalar product

(a b ) c
ab

c b

(a b ) c = (b c ) a = (c a ) b
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concept of Tensor A 2nd order tensor is a linear operator that transforms a vector a into another vector b through a dot product. b or b=Aa A: a X2 b=Aa

a X1

Properties due to linear operation

A ( a + b ) = Aa + Ab

(A B )a = Aa Ba

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Anatomy of a Tensor: Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic Dyad

ab

(ab )

A dyad is a tensor. It transforms a vector by

A dyadic is also a tensor. It is a linear combination of dyads with scalar coefficients.

B = ab+cd
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic Now, consider a special dyad

ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic Now, consider a special dyad

ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Properties of Dyad and Dyadic

(a b )( c + d ) = (a b )c + (a b )d ( a + b ) c = (a c) + (b c)
A( a b ) = (Aa ) b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Special Tensors Positive semi-definite tensor: Positive definite tensor: Unit tensor: I Transpose of a tensor

a Aa 0 a Aa > 0

for any a 0 for any a 0

I = ij ei e j
AT

AI = A

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Dot Product

AB

Properties of dot product

AB BA

(AB )C = A(BC) = ABC

A 2 = AA

A n = AA...A

(AB )T

= BT AT
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Trace and Contraction Trace tr (A ) = Aii

tr (A ) = tr A T

tr (AB ) = tr (BA ) tr (A + B ) = tr (A ) + tr (B ) tr (A ) = tr (A )
Contraction (double dot)

( )

A:B

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Tensor Review

Cross Product

ab
Dayd: vector a is sitting in front vector b

(a b )c = a(b c ) c (a b ) = (a c ) b

e1 a b = a1 b1

e2 a2 b2

e3 a3 b3

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Rule of Thumb: For algebra on vectors and tensors, an index must show up twice and only twice. If an index shows up once on the left hand side (LHS) of = sign, it must show up once and only once on the right hand side (RHS) of = sign. This index is free index. If an index shows up twice on either LHS or RHS of = , it does not have to show up on the other side of = . This index is dummy index. You are free to change the letters that represent a free index or a dummy index. But you have to change it in pair.
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Determinant and inverse of a tensor Determinant
A11 det A = det A21 A31 A12 A22 A32 A13 A23 A33

det(AB) = det A det B

det AT = det A

A is singular if and only if detA=0 Inverse if detA is not zero

AA1 = I = A 1A

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Properties of inverse tensor

(AB )

= B 1A 1
=A
= 1

(A )
1 T

1 1

( A )

A 1

(A ) = (A )
( )

T 1

(A )
1

1 T

= AT

A2 = A1A1

An = A1A1...A1

det A 1 = (det A )

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Orthogonal tensor

Qa Qb = a b

QT Q = I
a

Qa b

det Q = 1
det Q = 1 det Q

Qb

Q is a proper orthogonal tensor and corresponds to a rotation

Q is an improper orthogonal tensor and corresponds = 1 to a reflection

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Rotation

cos Q= sin 0

sin cos 0

0 0 1

X2

a a
X1

X2

X2

a
X1

X1

Rotation of the vector

Rotation of the coordinate system

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Symmetric and skew tensor A=S+W

1 S = A + AT 2

1 W = A AT 2

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

The scalar is an eigenvalue of a tensor A if there is of A so that a non-zero vector unit eigenvector n

= n An
X2 m=An X2

= An n

n X1

n
X1

General case: m=An

Eigenvector: n

= An
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

= n An

=0 (A I )n

det (A I ) = 0

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Spectral Decomposition

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