Rigorous analysis of shape transitions in frustrated elastic ribbons

Ribbons are elastic bodies of thickness $t$ and width $w$ with $t\ll w\ll 1$ (after appropriate nondimensionalization). Many ribbons in nature have a non-trivial internal geometry, making them incompatible with Euclidean space. This incompatibility -- expressed mathematically as a failure of the Gauss-Codazzi equations for surfaces -- can trigger shape transitions between narrow and wide ribbons. These transitions depend on the internal geometry: ribbons whose incompatibility arises from failure of the Gauss equation always exhibit a transition, whereas those whose incompatibility arises from failure of the Codazzi equations, may or may not. We give the first rigorous analysis of this phenomenon, mainly for ribbons whose first fundamental form is flat. For Gauss-incompatible ribbons we identify the natural energy scaling of the problem and prove the existence of a shape transition. For Codazzi-incompatible ribbons we give a necessary condition for a transition to occur. Furthermore, our study reveals a fundamental distinction: the transition is "microscopic" for Gauss-incompatible ribbons, persisting as the width tends to $0$, whereas it is "mesoscopic" for Codazzi-incompatible ribbons, observable only at small but finite width. The results are obtained by calculating the $Γ$-limits, as $t,w\to 0$, for narrow ribbons ($w^2 \ll t$), and wide ribbons (taking $t$ to zero and then $w$), in the natural energy scalings dictated by the internal geometry.