This book presents the fundamentals of nonlinear mechanics within a modern computational approach based mainly on finite element methods. Both material and geometric nonlinearities are treated. The topics build up from the mechanics of finite deformation of solid bodies through to nonlinear structural behaviour including buckling, bifurcation and snap-through. The principles are illustrated with a series of solved problems. This book serves as a text book for a second year graduate course and as a reference for practitioners using nonlinear analysis in engineering and design.

This book offers a recipe for constructing the numerical models for representing the complex nonlinear behavior of structures and their components, represented as deformable solid bodies. Its appeal extends to those interested in linear problems of mechanics.

Providing a modern and comprehensive coverage of continuum mechanics, this volume includes information on "variational principles"--Significant, as this is the only method by which such material is actually utilized in engineering practice.

In mechanical engineering and structural analysis there is a significant gap between the material models currently used by engineers for industry applications and those already available in research laboratories. This is especially apparent with the huge progress of computational possibilities and the corresponding dissemination of numerical tools in engineering practice, which essentially deliver linear solutions. Future improvements of design and life assessment methods necessarily involve non-linear solutions for inelastic responses, in plasticity or viscoplasticity, as well as damage and fracture analyses. The dissemination of knowledge can be improved by software developments, data base completion and generalization, but also by information and training. With such a perspective Non-Linear Mechanics of Materials proposes a knowledge actualization, in order to better understand and use recent material constitutive and damage modeling methods in the context of structural analysis or multiscale material microstructure computations.

Computational Methods in Nonlinear Structural and Solid Mechanics covers the proceedings of the Symposium on Computational Methods in Nonlinear Structural and Solid Mechanics. The book covers the development of efficient discretization approaches; advanced numerical methods; improved programming techniques; and applications of these developments to nonlinear analysis of structures and solids. The chapters of the text are organized into 10 parts according to the issue they tackle. The first part deals with nonlinear mathematical theories and formulation aspects, while the second part covers computational strategies for nonlinear programs. Part 3 deals with time integration and numerical solution of nonlinear algebraic equations, while Part 4 discusses material characterization and nonlinear fracture mechanics, and Part 5 tackles nonlinear interaction problems. The sixth part discusses seismic response and nonlinear analysis of concrete structure, and the seventh part tackles nonlinear problems for nuclear reactors. Part 8 covers crash dynamics and impact problems, while Part 9 deals with nonlinear problems of fibrous composites and advanced nonlinear applications. The last part discusses computerized symbolic manipulation and nonlinear analysis software systems. The book will be of great interest to numerical analysts, computer scientists, structural engineers, and other professionals concerned with nonlinear structural and solid mechanics.

Three subjects of major interest in one textbook: linear elasticity, mechanics of structures in linear isotropic elasticity, and nonlinear mechanics including computational algorithms. After the simplest possible, intuitive approach there follows the mathematical formulation and analysis, with computational methods occupying a good portion of the book. There are several worked-out problems in each chapter and additional exercises at the end of the book, plus mathematical expressions are bery often given in more than one notation. The book is intended primarily for students and practising engineers in mechanical and civil engineering, although students and experts from applied mathematics, materials science and other related fields will also find it useful.