Computation of the phase fraction in a discrete model for a pseudoelastic material

We consider a discrete model of a pseudoelastic material formed by a chain of bistable elements (snap springs). This model exhibits non monotone stress-strain relation due to the non convexity of the potential energy and it can mimic the hysteretic behaviour observed under cyclic loading in a hard device. We compute all the possible equilibrium states compatible with a given total strain and we apply the Maximum Entropy Principle. Given an arbitrary hysteresis cycle, we are able to infer the evolution of the phase fraction and of the information entropy along the cycle