Variational integrals with linear growth

We investigate the properties of certain elliptic systems leading, a priori, to solutions that belong to the space of Radon measures. We show that if the problem is equipped with a so-called Uhlenbeck structure, then the solution can in fact be understood as a standard weak solution, with one proviso: analogously as in the case of minimal surface equations, the attainment of the boundary value is penalized by a measure supported on (a subset of) the boundary, which, for the problems under consideration here, is the part of the boundary where a Neumann boundary condition is imposed. Finally, we will connect such elliptic systems with certain problems in elasticity theory – the limiting strain models.