Variational principles for nonlinear Kirchhoff rods

Abstract: The present article studies variational principles for the formulation of static and dynamic problems involving Kirchhoff rods in a fully nonlinear setting. These results, some of them new, others scattered in the literature, are presented in a systematic way, helping to clarify certain aspects that have remained obscure. In particular, the study of transversely isotropic models reveals the delicate role that differential geometry plays in their formulation and unveils consequently some approximations that can be made to obtain simplified formulations.