On the lack of compactness in the axisymmetric neo-Hookean model

We provide a fine description of the weak limit of sequences of regular axisymmetric maps with equibounded neo-Hookean energy, under the assumption that they have finite surface energy. We prove that these weak limits have a dipole structure, showing that the singular map described by Conti and De Lellis is generic in some sense. On this map, we provide the explicit relaxation of the neo-Hookean energy. We also make a link with Cartesian currents showing that the candidate for the relaxation we obtained presents strong similarities with the relaxed energy in the context of $\mathbb {S}^2$-valued harmonic maps.