A variationally consistent membrane wrinkling model based on spectral decomposition of the stress tensor

Abstract

We present a variationally consistent wrinkling model based on spectral decomposition of the stress tensor, providing a unified formulation that captures the three distinct membrane states. Compared to the previous strain-based spectral decomposition approach, the proposed model improves accuracy by satisfying the uniaxial tension condition from tension field theory and aligning with the mixed wrinkling criterion. It also demonstrates excellent performance under various loading conditions and offers enhanced generality by unifying strain-based, stress-based, and mixed criteria within a single framework. Beyond these improvements, the model retains the superior convergence properties of the previous approach, including the framework for the flexible inclusion or omission of residual compressive stiffness. This mitigates nonconvergence or singularities in slackening states. With these adjustments, new expressions for stress and constitutive tensors are consistently derived. Finally, extensive validation through analytical, numerical, and experimental benchmark tests highlights the robustness of the model. The results confirm its accuracy in capturing the mechanical response of wrinkled thin membranes, strong convergence properties, and value for advanced membrane wrinkling analysis.