Linear elastic diatomic multilattices: Three-dimensional constitutive modeling and solutions of the shift vector equation

Diatomic multilattices are congruences of simple lattices each made out of atoms of two possible chemical species. We here constitutively characterize, in three dimensions, diatomic multilattices for the geometrically and materially linear elastic regime. We give the most generic expression for the energy for [Formula: see text] diatomic multilattices and characterize explicitly the tensors present in such an expression for all 122 two-color point groups. For the specific case of diatomic 2- and 3-lattices, we delineate how one can solve the shift vector equation in the static case. For cases where the unique solution of the shift vector in terms of the strain tensor is not possible, we give conditions for the existence of solutions based on the standard Fredholm alternative theorem.