Tensor calculus in Elasticity

[Vincenzo Tibullo]

Hi, 

I am a beginner with xAct. I would like to use it for tensor calculus in elasticity and related generalized theories,

porous media, micropolar, microstretch and the likes.

I don't need all the machinery of GR, I only need an Euclidean metric in R^3 with ON basis, and partial derivatives.

In elasticity often there is also no need of distinction between covariant and contravariant indices,

and the summation convention is applied also to two repeated down indices, but I understand

that this is a strong requirement, so I can stick with up/down indices.

For an example of the calculations involved, look at the first 2 or 3 pages of this paper:

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/503888/Spatial%20behavior%20backward%20in%20time.pdf

I have some difficulty, browsing through the docs, to understand in which way I need to setup my calculations, 

how to define the metric and the derivative, and so on.

Thanks for your attention

-- Vincenzo