A quasistatic evolution model for perfectly plastic plates derived by Γ-convergence

The rigorous derivation of lower dimensional models for thin structures is a question of great interest in mechanics and its applications. In the early 90’s a rigorous approach to dimension reduction has emerged in the stationary framework and in the context of nonlinear elasticity. This approach is based on Γ-convergence and, starting from the seminal paper [3, 4], has led to establish a hierarchy of limit models for plates, rods, and shells. More recently, the Γ-convergence approach to dimension reduction has gained attention also in the evolutionary framework: in nonlinear elasticity, crack propagation, elastoplasticity with hardening, and delamination problems.