Existence and time-discretization for the finite-strain Souza-Auricchio constitutive model for shape-memory alloys

We prove the global existence of solutions for a shape-memory alloys constitutive model at finite strains. The model has been presented in Evangelista et al. (Int J Numer Methods Eng 81(6):761-785, 2010) and corresponds to a suitable finite-strain version of the celebrated Souza-Auricchio model for SMAs (Auricchio and Petrini in Int J Numer Methods Eng 55:1255-1284, 2002; Souza et al. in J Mech A Solids 17:789-806, 1998). We reformulate the model in purely variational fashion under the form of a rate-independent process. Existence of suitably weak (energetic) solutions to the model is obtained by passing to the limit within a constructive time-discretization procedure.