Abstract
Eshelby’s inclusion problem of linear isotropic elasticity is applied to evaluate the elastic strain energies of general spheroidal inclusions with various misfit strains. The strain-energy minimization criterion is adopted and difference in elastic constants between the inclusion and the surrounding matrix is taken into account. It is found that not necessarily one of the three representative shapes of the spheroid, i.e., plate, sphere and needle, but also more general oblate and prolate spheroids can be the most favorable shape to minimize the strain energy. In addition, some features and characteristics involved in the inclusion problem are newly found.
