Shock waves in thermoelastic complex bars with possible microstructural diffusion

We consider non-isothermal processes on a bar made of a material endowed with “active” microstructure, that is, a material in which low spatial scale phenomena involve interactions not completely representable in terms of the standard stress. We analyze how these interactions play a role in the propagation of shock waves. We show that there is a direct influence essentially when a microstructural inertia relative to the rest of body can be recorded or the microstructure is latent in the sense of Capriz. The analysis is skeletal and underlines the essential conceptual elements.