Studies of vibro-impact dynamics falls into three main categories: modeling, mapping and applications. This text covers the latest in those studies plus selected deterministic and stochastic applications. It includes a bibliography exceeding 1,100 references.

- Models of vibro-impact systems are widely used in machine dynamics, vibration engineering, and structural mechanics. - Only monograph on this subject in English language. - Systematically presents the theory of vibro-impact systems by analysis of typical engineering applications. - Experimental data and computer simulations are presented. - Targeted to engineers and researchers in design and investigation of mechanical systems as well as to lecturers and advanced students.

The EUROMECH Colloquium "Dynamics of Vibro-Impact Systems" was held at th th Loughborough University on September 15 _18 , 1998. This was the flrst international meeting on this subject continuing the traditions of the series of Russian meetings held regularly since 1963. Mechanical systems with multiple impact interactions have wide applications in engineering as the most intensive sources of mechanical influence on materials, structures and processes. Vibro-impact systems are used widely in machine dynamics, vibration engineering, and structural mechanics. Analysis of vibro-impact systems involves the investigation of mathematical models with discontinuities and reveals their behaviour as strongly non-linear. Such systems exhibit complex resonances, synchronisation and pulling, bifurcations and chaos, exCitation of space coherent structures, shock waves, and solitons. The aim of the Colloquium was to facilitate the exchange of up-to-date information on the analysis and synthesis of vibro-impact systems as well as on the new developments in excitation, control and applications of vibro-impact processes.

Presents a systematic view of vibro-impact dynamics based onthe nonlinear dynamics analysis Comprehensive understanding of any vibro-impact system iscritically impeded by the lack of analytical tools viable forproperly characterizing grazing bifurcation. The authors establishvibro-impact dynamics as a subset of the theory of discontinuoussystems, thus enabling all vibro-impact systems to be explored andcharacterized for applications. Vibro-impact Dynamics presents an original theoreticalway of analyzing the behavior of vibro-impact dynamics that can beextended to discontinuous dynamics. All topics are logicallyintegrated to allow for vibro-impact dynamics, the central theme,to be presented. It provides a unified treatment on the topicwith a sound theoretical base that is applicable to both continuousand discrete systems Vibro-impact Dynamics: Presents mapping dynamics to determine bifurcation and chaos invibro-impact systems Offers two simple vibro-impact systems with comprehensivephysical interpretation of complex motions Uses the theory for discontinuous dynamical systems ontime-varying domains, to investigate the Fermi-oscillator Essential reading for graduate students, university professors,researchers and scientists in mechanical engineering.

Presents a systematic view of vibro-impact dynamics based on the nonlinear dynamics analysis Comprehensive understanding of any vibro-impact system is critically impeded by the lack of analytical tools viable for properly characterizing grazing bifurcation. The authors establish vibro-impact dynamics as a subset of the theory of discontinuous systems, thus enabling all vibro-impact systems to be explored and characterized for applications. Vibro-impact Dynamics presents an original theoretical way of analyzing the behavior of vibro-impact dynamics that can be extended to discontinuous dynamics. All topics are logically integrated to allow for vibro-impact dynamics, the central theme, to be presented. It provides a unified treatment on the topic with a sound theoretical base that is applicable to both continuous and discrete systems Vibro-impact Dynamics: Presents mapping dynamics to determine bifurcation and chaos in vibro-impact systems Offers two simple vibro-impact systems with comprehensive physical interpretation of complex motions Uses the theory for discontinuous dynamical systems on time-varying domains, to investigate the Fermi-oscillator Essential reading for graduate students, university professors, researchers and scientists in mechanical engineering.

Recent years have witnessed a rapid development of active control of various mechanical systems. With increasingly strict requirements for control speed and system performance, the unavoidable time delays in both controllers and actuators have become a serious problem. For instance, all digital controllers, analogue anti aliasing and reconstruction filters exhibit a certain time delay during operation, and the hydraulic actuators and human being interaction usually show even more significant time delays. These time delays, albeit very short in most cases, often deteriorate the control performance or even cause the instability of the system, be cause the actuators may feed energy at the moment when the system does not need it. Thus, the effect of time delays on the system performance has drawn much at tention in the design of robots, active vehicle suspensions, active tendons for tall buildings, as well as the controlled vibro-impact systems. On the other hand, the properly designed delay control may improve the performance of dynamic sys tems. For instance, the delayed state feedback has found its applications to the design of dynamic absorbers, the linearization of nonlinear systems, the control of chaotic oscillators, etc. Most controlled mechanical systems with time delays can be modeled as the dynamic systems described by a set of ordinary differential equations with time delays.

Vibration Testing and System Dynamics is an interdisciplinary journal serving as the forum for promoting dialogues among engineering practitioners and research scholars. As the platform for facilitating the synergy of system dynamics, testing, design, modeling, and education, the journal publishes high-quality, original articles in the theory and applications of dynamical system testing. The aim of the journal is to stimulate more research interest in and attention for the interaction of theory, design, and application in dynamic testing. Manuscripts reporting novel methodology design for modelling and testing complex dynamical systems with nonlinearity are solicited. Papers on applying modern theory of dynamics to real-world issues in all areas of physical science and description of numerical investigation are equally encouraged. Progress made in the following topics are of interest, but not limited, to the journal: Vibration testing and designDynamical systems and controlTesting instrumentation and controlComplex system dynamics in engineeringDynamic failure and fatigue theoryChemical dynamics and bio-systemsFluid dynamics and combustionPattern dynamicsNetwork dynamicsPlasma physics and plasma dynamicsControl signal synchronization and trackingBio-mechanical systems and devicesStructural and multi-body dynamicsFlow or heat-induced vibrationMass and energy transfer dynamicsWave propagation and testing

The aim of this International Symposium on Dynamics of Vibro-Impact Systems is to provide a forum for the discussion of recent developments in the theory and industrial applications of vibro-impact ocean systems. A special effort has been made to invite active researchers from engineering, science, and applied mathematics communities. This symposium has indeed updated engineers with recent analytical developments of vibro-impact dynamics and at the same time allowed engineers and industrial practitioners to alert mathematicians with their unresolved issues. The symposium was held in Troy, Michigan, during the period October 1-3, 2008. It included 28 presentations grouped as follows: The first group comprises of nine papers dealing with the interaction of ocean systems with slamming waves and floating ice. It also covers related topics such as sloshing-slamming dynamics, and non-smooth dynamics associated with offshore structures. Moreover, it includes control issues pertaining to marine surface vessels. The second group consists of fifteen papers treats the interaction of impact systems with friction and their control, Hertzian contact dynamics, parameter variation in vibro-impact oscillators, random excitation of vibro-impact systems, vibro-impact dampers, oscillators with a bouncing ball, limiting phase trajectory corresponding to energy exchange between the oscillator and external source, frequency-energy distribution in oscillators with impacts, and discontinuity mapping. The third group is covered in four papers and addresses some industrial applications such as hand-held percussion machines, rub-impact dynamics of rotating machinery, impact fatigue in joint structures.

This monograph addresses the systematic representation of the methods of analysis developed by the authors as applied to such systems. Particular features of dynamic processes in such systems are studied. Special attention is given to an analysis of different resonant phenomena taking unusual and diverse forms.