Title: On the symmetric character of the thermal conductivity tensor

Authors: Ali R. Hadjesfandiari

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo, 339 Jarvis Hall, SUNY Buffalo, NY 14260, USA

Abstract: In this paper, the symmetric character of the conductivity tensor for linear heterogeneous anisotropic material is established as the result of arguments from tensor analysis and linear algebra for Fourier's heat conduction. The non-singular nature of the conductivity tensor plays the fundamental role in establishing this statement.

Keywords: thermal conductivity tensor; heat conduction; symmetric tensors; anisotropic materials; tensor analysis; linear algebra; Fourier heat conduction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMSI.2014.067111

International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity, 2014 Vol.8 No.4, pp.209 - 220

Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

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