In 1979, I edited Volume 18 in this series: Solution Methods for Integral Equations: Theory and Applications. Since that time, there has been an explosive growth in all aspects of the numerical solution of integral equations. By my estimate over 2000 papers on this subject have been published in the last decade, and more than 60 books on theory and applications have appeared. In particular, as can be seen in many of the chapters in this book, integral equation techniques are playing an increas ingly important role in the solution of many scientific and engineering problems. For instance, the boundary element method discussed by Atkinson in Chapter 1 is becoming an equal partner with finite element and finite difference techniques for solving many types of partial differential equations. Obviously, in one volume it would be impossible to present a complete picture of what has taken place in this area during the past ten years. Consequently, we have chosen a number of subjects in which significant advances have been made that we feel have not been covered in depth in other books. For instance, ten years ago the theory of the numerical solution of Cauchy singular equations was in its infancy. Today, as shown by Golberg and Elliott in Chapters 5 and 6, the theory of polynomial approximations is essentially complete, although many details of practical implementation remain to be worked out.

This book provides an extensive introduction to the numerical solution of a large class of integral equations.

This textbook provides a readable account of techniques for numerical solutions.

This book suggests that the numerical analysis subjects' matter are the important tools of the book topic, because numerical errors and methods have important roles in solving integral equations. Therefore, all needed topics including a brief description of interpolation are explained in the book. The integral equations have many applications in the engineering, medical, and economic sciences, so the present book contains new and useful materials about interval computations including interval interpolations that are going to be used in interval integral equations. The concepts of integral equations are going to be discussed in two directions, analytical concepts, and numerical solutions which both are necessary for these kinds of dynamic systems. The differences between this book with the others are a full discussion of error topics and also using interval interpolations concepts to obtain interval integral equations. All researchers and students in the field of mathematical, computer, and also engineering sciences can benefit the subjects of the book.

It is weH known that the traditional failure criteria cannot adequately explain failures which occur at a nominal stress level considerably lower than the ultimate strength of the material. The current procedure for predicting the safe loads or safe useful life of a structural member has been evolved around the discipline oflinear fracture mechanics. This approach introduces the concept of a crack extension force which can be used to rank materials in some order of fracture resistance. The idea is to determine the largest crack that a material will tolerate without failure. Laboratory methods for characterizing the fracture toughness of many engineering materials are now available. While these test data are useful for providing some rough guidance in the choice of materials, it is not clear how they could be used in the design of a structure. The understanding of the relationship between laboratory tests and fracture design of structures is, to say the least, deficient. Fracture mechanics is presently at astandstill until the basic problems of scaling from laboratory models to fuH size structures and mixed mode crack propagation are resolved. The answers to these questions require some basic understanding ofthe theory and will not be found by testing more specimens. The current theory of fracture is inadequate for many reasons. First of aH it can only treat idealized problems where the applied load must be directed normal to the crack plane.

This book presents numerical methods and computational aspects for linear integral equations. Such equations occur in various areas of applied mathematics, physics, and engineering. The material covered in this book, though not exhaustive, offers useful techniques for solving a variety of problems. Historical information cover ing the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is available in fragments in Kantorovich and Krylov (1958), Anselone (1964), Mikhlin (1967), Lonseth (1977), Atkinson (1976), Baker (1978), Kondo (1991), and Brunner (1997). Integral equations are encountered in a variety of applications in many fields including continuum mechanics, potential theory, geophysics, electricity and mag netism, kinetic theory of gases, hereditary phenomena in physics and biology, renewal theory, quantum mechanics, radiation, optimization, optimal control sys tems, communication theory, mathematical economics, population genetics, queue ing theory, and medicine. Most of the boundary value problems involving differ ential equations can be converted into problems in integral equations, but there are certain problems which can be formulated only in terms of integral equations. A computational approach to the solution of integral equations is, therefore, an essential branch of scientific inquiry.