We discuss ellipticity property within the linear couple-stress elasticity. In this theory, there exists a deformation energy density introduced as a function of strains and gradient of macrorotations, where the latter are expressed through displacements. So the couple-stress theory could be treated as a particular class of strain gradient elasticity. Within the micropolar elasticity, the model is called Cosserat pseudocontinuum...

FoF1-ATPase is a rotary motor protein synthesizing ATP from ADP driven by a cross-membrane proton gradient. The proton flow through the membrane-embedded Fo generates the rotary torque that drives the rotation of the asymmetric shaft of F1. Mechanical energy of the rotating shaft is used by the F1 catalytic subunit to synthesize ATP. It was suggested that elastic power transmission with transient storage of energy in some compliant...

Within the strain gradient elasticity we discuss the dynamic boundary conditions taking into account surface stresses described by the Steigmann–Ogden model. The variational approach is applied with the use of the least action functional. The functional is represented as a sum of surface and volume integrals. The surface strain and kinetic energy densities are introduced. The Toupin–Mindlin formulation of the strain gradient elasticity...

We discuss the particular class of strain-gradient elastic material models which we called the reduced or degenerated strain-gradient elasticity. For this class the strain energy density depends on functions which have different differential properties in different spatial directions. As an example of such media we consider the continual models of pantographic beam lattices and smectic and columnar liquid crystals.