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Abstract.A unified framework for analyzing the existence of ground states in wide classes of elastic complex bodies is presented here. The approach makes use of classical semicontinuity results, Sobolev mappings and Cartesian currents. Weak diffeomorphisms are used to represent macroscopic deformations. Sobolev maps and Cartesian currents describe the inner substructure of the material elements. Balance equations for irregular minimizers are derived. A contribution to the debate about the role of the balance of configurational actions follows. After describing a list of possible applications of the general results collected here, a concrete discussion of the existence of ground states in thermodynamically stable quasicrystals is presented at the end.

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We analyze geometrical structures necessary to represent bulk and surface interactions of standard and substructural nature in complex bodies. Our attention is mainly focused on the influence of diffuse interfaces on sharp discontinuity surfaces. In analyzing this phenomenon, we prove the covariance of surface balances of standard and substructural interactions.

Preliminary results toward the analysis of the Hamiltonian structure of multifield theories describing complex materials are mustered: we involve the invariance under the action of a general Lie group of the balance of substructural interactions. Poisson brackets are also introduced in the material representation to account for general material substructures. A Hamilton-Jacobi equation suitable for multifield models is presented. Finally, a spatial version of all these topics is discussed without making use of the notion of paragon setting.