Toachieve design, implementation,and servicing ofcomplex systems and struc tures in an efficient and cost-effective way,a deeper knowledge and understanding of the subtle cast and detailed evolution of materials is needed. The analysis in demand borders with the molecular and atomic one, spanning all the way down from classical continua. The study of the behavior of complex materials in sophisticated devices also opens intricate questions about the applicability of primary axioms ofcontinuum mechanics such as the ultimate nature of the material element itselfand the possibility ofidentifying itperfectly. So it is necessary to develop tools that allow usto formulate both theoretical models and methods of numerical approximation for the analysis of material substructures. Multifield theories in continuum mechanics, which bridge classical materials science and modern continuum mechanics, provide precisely these tools. Multifield theories not only address problems of material substructures, but also encompass well-recognized approaches to the study of soft condensed matter and allow one to model disparate conditions in various states ofmatter. However, research inmultifield theories is vast, and there is little in the way of a comprehensive distillation of the subject from an engineer's perspective. Therefore, the papers in the present volume, 1 which grew out of our experience as editors for an engineeringjournal, tackle some fundamental questions,suggest solutions of concrete problems, and strive to interpret a host of experimental evidence. In this spirit, each of the authors has contributed original results having in mind their wider applicability.

Advances in Applied Mechanics draws together recent significant advances in various topics in applied mechanics. Published since 1948, Advances in Applied Mechanics aims to provide authoritative review articles on topics in the mechanical sciences, primarily of interest to scientists and engineers working in the various branches of mechanics, but also of interest to the many who use the results of investigations in mechanics in various application areas, such as aerospace, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical and nuclear engineering. - Covers all fields of the mechanical sciences - Highlights classical and modern areas of mechanics that are ready for review - Provides comprehensive coverage of the field in question

Recent interest in nanotechnology is challenging the community to analyse, develop and design nanometer to micrometer-sized devices for applications in new generations of computer, electronics, photonics and drug delivery systems. To successfully design and fabricate novel nanomaterials and nanosystems, we must necessarily bridge the gap in our understanding of mechanical properties and processes at length scales ranging from 100 nanometers (where atomistic simulations are currently possible) to a micron (where continuum mechanics is experimentally validated). For this purpose the difficulties and complexity originate in the substantial differences in philosophy and viewpoints between conventional continuum mechanics and quantum theories. The challenge lies in how to establish the relationship between a continuum mechanical system and its atomistic counterpart in order to define continuum variables that are calculable within an atomic system.

Autowave Plasticity: Localization and Collective Modes discusses the nature of plastic flow in solids associated with the development of a localized plastic flow. Written by an authority in the field, the author demonstrates how patterns of localized plastic flow are associated with autowave modes that are generated in a deformable sample and delivers a complete work on the subject. Key Features An original work on the nature of plastic flows in solids, particularly metals and crystals Focuses on plastic flow as an autowave process Contains elements of theories, experimental considerations, and numerical modeling This reference will help readers with creating experimental methods to observe or localize plastic flow and with the modeling of plastic flows. It is a valuable reference for graduate students and research specialists working in material science.

ICTAEM_1 treated all aspects of theoretical, applied and experimental mechanics including biomechanics, composite materials, computational mechanics, constitutive modeling of materials, dynamics, elasticity, experimental mechanics, fracture, mechanical properties of materials, micromechanics, nanomechanics, plasticity, stress analysis, structures, wave propagation. During the conference special symposia covering major areas of research activity organized by members of the Scientific Advisory Board took place. ICTAEM_1 brought together the most outstanding world leaders and gave attendees the opportunity to get acquainted with the latest developments in the area of mechanics. ICTAEM_1 is a forum of university, industry and government interaction and serves in the exchange of ideas in an area of utmost scientific and technological importance.

Through his voluminous and in?uential writings, editorial activities, organi- tional leadership, intellectual acumen, and strong sense of history, Clifford - brose Truesdell III (1919–2000) was the main architect for the renaissance of - tional continuum mechanics since the middle of the twentieth century. The present collection of 42 essays and research papers pays tribute to this man of mathematics, science, and natural philosophy as well as to his legacy. The ?rst ?ve essays by B. D. Coleman, E. Giusti, W. Noll, J. Serrin, and D. Speiser were texts of addresses given by their authors at the Meeting in memory of Clifford Truesdell, which was held in Pisa in November 2000. In these essays the reader will ?nd personal reminiscences of Clifford Truesdell the man and of some of his activities as scientist, author, editor, historian of exact sciences, and principal founding member of the Society for Natural Philosophy. The bulk of the collection comprises 37 research papers which bear witness to the Truesdellian legacy. These papers cover a wide range of topics; what ties them together is the rational spirit. Clifford Truesdell, in his address upon receipt of a Birkhoff Prize in 1978, put the essence of modern continuum mechanics succinctly as “conceptual analysis, analysis not in the sense of the technical term but in the root meaning: logical criticism, dissection, and creative scrutiny.

This monograph presents the geometric foundations of continuum mechanics. An emphasis is placed on increasing the generality and elegance of the theory by scrutinizing the relationship between the physical aspects and the mathematical notions used in its formulation. The theory of uniform fluxes in affine spaces is covered first, followed by the smooth theory on differentiable manifolds, and ends with the non-smooth global theory. Because continuum mechanics provides the theoretical foundations for disciplines like fluid dynamics and stress analysis, the author’s extension of the theory will enable researchers to better describe the mechanics of modern materials and biological tissues. The global approach to continuum mechanics also enables the formulation and solutions of practical optimization problems. Foundations of Geometric Continuum Mechanics will be an invaluable resource for researchers in the area, particularly mathematicians, physicists, and engineers interested in the foundational notions of continuum mechanics.

The First African InterQuadrennial ICF Conference “AIQ-ICF2008” on Damage and Fracture Mechanics – Failure Analysis of Engineering Materials and Structures”, Algiers, Algeria, June 1–5, 2008 is the first in the series of InterQuadrennial Conferences on Fracture to be held in the continent of Africa. During the conference, African researchers have shown that they merit a strong reputation in international circles and continue to make substantial contributions to the field of fracture mechanics. As in most countries, the research effort in Africa is und- taken at the industrial, academic, private sector and governmental levels, and covers the whole spectrum of fracture and fatigue. The AIQ-ICF2008 has brought together researchers and engineers to review and discuss advances in the development of methods and approaches on Damage and Fracture Mechanics. By bringing together the leading international experts in the field, AIQ-ICF promotes technology transfer and provides a forum for industry and researchers of the host nation to present their accomplishments and to develop new ideas at the highest level. International Conferences have an important role to play in the technology transfer process, especially in terms of the relationships to be established between the participants and the informal exchange of ideas that this ICF offers.

Explores State-of-the-Art Work from the World's Foremost Scientists, Engineers, Educators, and Practitioners in the FieldWhy use smart materials?Since most smart materials do not add mass, engineers can endow structures with built-in responses to a myriad of contingencies. In their various forms, these materials can adapt to their environments by c