A link between sets of tensors stable under lamination and quasiconvexity

A link is found between quasiconvexity and the conditions for a set L of conductivity or elasticity tensors to be stable under lamination. These conditions, derived in the companion paper, are shown here to be equivalent to the condition that for every point B on the boundary of the set L an operator T B dependent on the tangent plane and curvature of the set at B is a quasiconvex translation operator. A separate class of quasiconvex translation operators is obtained which are candidates for proving that L is stable under homogenization. The region stable under homogenization associated with any one of these operators shares a common boundary point and tangent plane with the set L and has curvature at that point not greater than the curvature of L. The conditions under which there exists a representative subclass of these operators such that the associated regions stable under homogenization wrap around L remains unresolved. It is proved that L can be characterized by minimizations of sums and dual energies in much the same way that convex sets can be characterized by their Legendre transforms. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.