Ogden-type energies for nematic elastomers

► Ogden-type energies for nematic elastomers based on a multiplicative decomposition decay of the deformation gradient in elastic and spontaneous parts. ► Geometrically linear version (Taylor expansion at order two) of the new models. ► Geometric structure of the energy landscape, with energies growing away from a set of “energy wells”. ► Explicit formulas for the quasi-convex envelopes of the Ogden-type energies. ► Application to simulated pure-shear experiment reproducing the stiffening behavior at very large imposed strains.