MCEN 5023/ASEN 5012

Chapter 2

Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Fall, 2006

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Concepts of Scalar, Vector, and Tensor

Scalar A physical quantity that can be completely described by a real

number.
Example: Temperature; Mass; Density; Potential.
The expression of its component is independent of the
choice of the coordinate system.

Vector a A physical quantity that has both direction and length.

Example: Displacement; Velocity; Force; Heat flow; .

The expression of its components is dependent of the

choice of the coordinate system.

Tensor A A 2nd order tensor defines an operation that transforms a vector

to another vector
A tensor contains the information about the directions and the
magnitudes in those directions.
In general, Scalar is a 0th order tensor; Vector is A 1st order tensor; 2nd order
tensor; 3rd order tensor
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Vectors and Vector Algebra

A vector is a physical quantity that has both direction and length

What do we mean the two vectors are equal? X3

a
The two vectors have the same length and direction

What is a unit vector? X2

The length of a unit vector is one X1

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis X3
Vectors and Vector Algebra a3
a
In a Cartesian coordinate, a vector can be expressed
by three ordered scalars
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a = a1e1 + a2e 2 + a3e 3 = ai ei a2
i =1 X2
Summation convention a = ai ei a1
X1

Dummy index and free index

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra

Sum: a + b = (ai + bi )ei

Scalar Multiplication a = ai ei

Dot Product a b = a b cos (a, b )

Cross Product
e1 e 2 e3
a b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra X2

Sum: a + b = (ai + bi )e i
a+b
b
Properties of Sum b
a+b =b+a a

(a + b ) + c = a + (b + c) X1

a + ( a ) = o Parallelogram law of addition

a+o =a

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra
X2
Scalar Multiplication a = ae
i i

Properties of Scalar Multiplication a (>0)

a
( )a = ( a ) X1
( + )a = a + a
(a + b ) = a + b a (<0)

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra

Dot Product a b = a b cos (a, b )

Properties of Dot Product

ab = ba
ao = o
a ( b + c ) = (a b ) + (a c )
aa > 0 a o and a a = 0 a =o

a = aa norm of a Direction of a vector:

a2 = a a a a
n= =
ab = o a is orthogonal to b
a aa
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra a
Components of a vector

e1 a e1
a Symbolic expression

ai e i Component expression

X2
X2 a
X1

X1
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis

Vector Algebra

Dot Product a b = a b cos (a, b )

Three basis vectors of a Cartesian coordinate ei i=1,2,3

1 i = j 1 i = j
ei e j = = ij ij = Kronecker delta
0 i j 0 i j

Properties of ij

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Vector Algebra e1 e2 e3
Cross Product a b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3

Permutation symbol

1 even permutatio n

ijk = 1 odd permutatio n
0
repeated index

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Vector Algebra
Physical Meaning of Cross Product

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Vector Algebra e1 e2 e3
Properties of Cross Product a b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3
a b = b a

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Vector Algebra
Triple scalar product (a b ) c
ab

c
b

(a b ) c = (b c ) a = (c a ) b
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Concept of Tensor
A 2nd order tensor is a linear operator that transforms a
vector a into another vector b through a dot product.
A: a b or b=Aa X2
b=Aa

a
X1

Properties due to linear operation

A ( a + b ) = Aa + Ab

(A B )a = Aa Ba
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Anatomy of a Tensor: Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic

Dyad ab (ab )
A dyad is a tensor. It transforms a vector by

A dyadic is also a tensor. It is a linear combination of

dyads with scalar coefficients.

B = ab+cd
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic
Now, consider a special dyad ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Concepts of Dyad and Dyadic
Now, consider a special dyad ei e j

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Properties of Dyad and Dyadic

(a b )( c + d ) = (a b )c + (a b )d
( a + b ) c = (a c) + (b c)
A( a b ) = (Aa ) b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Special Tensors

Positive semi-definite tensor: a Aa 0 for any a 0

Positive definite tensor: a Aa > 0 for any a 0

Unit tensor: I I = ij ei e j AI = A

Transpose of a tensor AT

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Dot Product AB

Properties of dot product

AB BA

(AB )C = A(BC) = ABC

A 2 = AA
A n = AA...A
(AB )T = BT AT
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Trace and Contraction
Trace tr (A ) = Aii

( )
tr (A ) = tr A T
tr (AB ) = tr (BA )
tr (A + B ) = tr (A ) + tr (B )
tr (A ) = tr (A )
Contraction (double dot) A:B

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Tensor Review

ab Cross Product
Dayd: vector a is sitting
in front vector b e1 e2 e3
(a b )c = a(b c ) a b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3
c (a b ) = (a c ) b

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Rule of Thumb:
For algebra on vectors and tensors, an index must show up twice
and only twice.

If an index shows up once on the left hand side (LHS) of =

sign, it must show up once and only once on the right hand side
(RHS) of = sign. This index is free index.

If an index shows up twice on either LHS or RHS of = , it

does not have to show up on the other side of = . This index is
dummy index.

You are free to change the letters that represent a free index or
a dummy index. But you have to change it in pair.

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Determinant and inverse of a tensor
Determinant
A11 A12 A13
det A = det A21 A22 A23
A31 A32 A33
det(AB) = det A det B

det AT = det A

A is singular if and only if detA=0

Inverse

if detA is not zero AA1 = I = A 1A

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Properties of inverse tensor

(AB ) 1
= B 1A 1

(A )1 1
=A

( A ) 1
=
1
A 1

(A ) = (A )
1 T T 1
(A )
1 T
= AT

A2 = A1A1 An = A1A1...A1

( )
det A 1 = (det A )
1

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Orthogonal tensor
Qa Qb = a b
QT Q = I
a
Qa

det Q = 1 Qb

Q is a proper orthogonal tensor and corresponds to a

det Q = 1 rotation
Q is an improper orthogonal tensor and corresponds
det Q = 1 to a reflection
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Rotation
cos sin 0
Q = sin cos 0
0 0 1

X2 X2
a X2 a
a X1

X1 X1
Rotation of the vector Rotation of the coordinate system
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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Symmetric and skew tensor

A=S+W
1
(
S = A + AT
2
) 1
(
W = A AT
2
)

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

The scalar is an eigenvalue of a tensor A if there is

a non-zero vector unit eigenvector n of A so that

An = n
X2 X2
m=An
n = An

n n
X1 X1
General case: m=An Eigenvector: n
= An

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a tensor A

An = n (A I )n = 0
det (A I ) = 0

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Fundamentals of Tensor Analysis
Spectral Decomposition

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