For elastic deformations beyond the range of the classical infinitesimal theory of elasticity, the governing differential equations are non-linear in form, and orthodox methods of solution are not usually applicable. Simplifying features appear, however, when a restriction is imposed either upon the form of the deformation, or upon the form of strain-energy function employed to define the elastic properties of the material. Thus in the problems of torsion and flexure considered by Rivlin (4, 5, 6) it is possible to avoid introducing partial differential equations into the analysis, while in the theory of finite plane strain developed by Adkins, Green and Shield (1) the reduction in the number of dependent and independent variables involved introduces some measure of simplicity. Some further simplification is achieved when the strain-energy function can be considered as a linear function of the strain invariants as postulated by Mooney(2) for incompressible materials. In the present paper the plane-strain equations for a Mooney material are reduced to symmetrical forms which do not involve the stress components, and some special solutions of these equations are derived.
