Abstract: Problems of micropolar thermoelasticity have been presented and discussed by some authors in the traditional framework of micropolar continuum field theory. In this paper the theory of micropolar thermoelasticity is restudied. The reason why it was restricted to a linear one is analyzed. The rather general principle of virtual work and the new formulation for the virtual work of internal forces as well as the rather complete Hamilton principle in micropolar thermoelasticity are established. From this new Hamilton principle not only the equations of motion, the balance equation of entropy, the boundary conditions of stress, couple stress and heat, but also the boundary conditions of displacement, microrotation and temperature are simultaneously derived.

Key words: micropolar continua, thermoelasticity, principle of virtual work, Hamilton principle