This book is the ?nal outcome of VECPAR 2000 – 4th International Meeting on Vector and Parallel Processing. VECPAR constitutes a series of conferences, which have been organized by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto since 1993, with the main objective of disseminating new knowledge on parallel computing. Readership of This Book The book is aimed at an audience of researchers and graduate students in a broad range of scienti?c areas, including not only computer science, but also applied mathematics and numerical analysis, physics, and engineering. Book Plan From a total of 66 papers selected on the basis of extended abstracts for p- sentation at the conference, a subset of 34 papers were chosen during a second review process leading to their inclusion in the book, together with the invited talks. The book contains a total of 40 papers organized into 6 chapters, where each may appeal to people in di?erent but still related scienti?c areas. All ch- ters, with the exception of Chapter 6, are initiated by a short text, providing a quick overview of the organization and papers in the chapter. The 13 papers in Chapter 1 cover the aspects related to the use of multiple processors. Operating systems, languages and software tools for scheduling, and code transformation are the topics included in this chapter, initiated by the talk on computing over the Internet, entitled Grid Computing,byIan Foster.

The aim of this major reference work is to provide a first point of entry to the literature for the researchers in any field relating to structural integrity in the form of a definitive research/reference tool which links the various sub-disciplines that comprise the whole of structural integrity. Special emphasis will be given to the interaction between mechanics and materials and structural integrity applications. Because of the interdisciplinary and applied nature of the work, it will be of interest to mechanical engineers and materials scientists from both academic and industrial backgrounds including bioengineering, interface engineering and nanotechnology. The scope of this work encompasses, but is not restricted to: fracture mechanics, fatigue, creep, materials, dynamics, environmental degradation, numerical methods, failure mechanisms and damage mechanics, interfacial fracture and nano-technology, structural analysis, surface behaviour and heart valves. The structures under consideration include: pressure vessels and piping, off-shore structures, gas installations and pipelines, chemical plants, aircraft, railways, bridges, plates and shells, electronic circuits, interfaces, nanotechnology, artificial organs, biomaterial prostheses, cast structures, mining... and more. Case studies will form an integral part of the work.

An informative look at the theory, computer implementation, and application of the scaled boundary finite element method This reliable resource, complete with MATLAB, is an easy-to-understand introduction to the fundamental principles of the scaled boundary finite element method. It establishes the theory of the scaled boundary finite element method systematically as a general numerical procedure, providing the reader with a sound knowledge to expand the applications of this method to a broader scope. The book also presents the applications of the scaled boundary finite element to illustrate its salient features and potentials. The Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method: Introduction to Theory and Implementation covers the static and dynamic stress analysis of solids in two and three dimensions. The relevant concepts, theory and modelling issues of the scaled boundary finite element method are discussed and the unique features of the method are highlighted. The applications in computational fracture mechanics are detailed with numerical examples. A unified mesh generation procedure based on quadtree/octree algorithm is described. It also presents examples of fully automatic stress analysis of geometric models in NURBS, STL and digital images. Written in lucid and easy to understand language by the co-inventor of the scaled boundary element method Provides MATLAB as an integral part of the book with the code cross-referenced in the text and the use of the code illustrated by examples Presents new developments in the scaled boundary finite element method with illustrative examples so that readers can appreciate the significant features and potentials of this novel method—especially in emerging technologies such as 3D printing, virtual reality, and digital image-based analysis The Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method: Introduction to Theory and Implementation is an ideal book for researchers, software developers, numerical analysts, and postgraduate students in many fields of engineering and science.

Presently, there is a strong need for better understanding of the limits of the multi-scale and multi-physics methodology in terms of its practical value for modeling the behavior of a given engineering structure, regarding the solution cost, result interpretation and model reliability. The issues concerning the formulation of a multi-physics problem, capturing the different scales in the solution and providing error estimates and bounds on the computed solution should all be examined. Another key issue in that sense concerns our ability to bring these advances in multi-scale and multi-physics nonlinear analysis to bear upon the solution of practically unlimited new capabilities of achieving the optimal design of structures under extreme conditions. In other words, the necessity for introducing a refined modeling approach is not only created by available computational tools, but more importantly to provide a better insight into any potential weakness of a structural system on hand and thus achieve a more economical design. requirements of the market economies, where in a number of very competitive industrial sectors the need for economic design leads naturally towards the criteria based on ultimate limit state of a particular structural system on hand. This book allows exchange of the ideas on advanced computational models and techniques applicable to interdisciplinary, coupled and interaction problems, which are governing the complex behavior of engineering structures.

Civil and environmental engineers work together to develop, build, and maintain the man-made and natural environments that make up the infrastructures and ecosystems in which we live and thrive. Civil and Environmental Engineering: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a comprehensive multi-volume publication showcasing the best research on topics pertaining to road design, building maintenance and construction, transportation, earthquake engineering, waste and pollution management, and water resources management and engineering. Through its broad and extensive coverage on a variety of crucial concepts in the field of civil engineering, and its subfield of environmental engineering, this multi-volume work is an essential addition to the library collections of academic and government institutions and appropriately meets the research needs of engineers, environmental specialists, researchers, and graduate-level students.

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has emerged as a solution to predicting load capacities of masonry structures. As one of many numerical methods and computational solutions being applied to evaluate masonry structures, further research on DEM tools and methodologies is essential for further advancement. Computational Modeling of Masonry Structures Using the Discrete Element Method explores the latest digital solutions for the analysis and modeling of brick, stone, concrete, granite, limestone, and glass block structures. Focusing on critical research on mathematical and computational methods for masonry analysis, this publication is a pivotal reference source for scholars, engineers, consultants, and graduate-level engineering students.