A Linear Theory of Porous Elastic Solids

The theory of porous elastic solids with large vacuous interstices, considered by Giovine like materials with ellipsoidal structure, includes, as a particular case, the nonlinear theory of Nunziato and Cowin of elastic materials with small spherical voids finely dispersed in the matrix.
In this paper we propose appropriate constitutive relations and then specialize the basic balance equations of Giovine to the linear theory. Also, generalizing the developments of Cowin and Nunziato, we formulate boundary-initial-value problems and examine classical applications as responses to homogeneous deformations and small-amplitude acoustic waves.