Leonardo wrote, “Mechanics is the paradise of the mathematical sciences, because by means of it one comes to the fruits of mathematics”; replace “Mechanics” by “Fluid mechanics” and here we are. - From the Preface to the Second Edition Although the exponential growth of computer power has advanced the importance of simulations and visualization tools for elaborating new models, designs and technologies, the discipline of fluid mechanics is still large, and turbulence in flows remains a challenging problem in classical physics. Like its predecessor, the revised and expanded Second Edition of this book addresses the basic principles of fluid mechanics and solves fluid flow problems where viscous effects are the dominant physical phenomena. Much progress has occurred in the half a century that has passed since the edition of 1964. As predicted, aspects of hydrodynamics once considered offbeat have risen to importance. For example, the authors have worked on problems where variations in viscosity and surface tension cannot be ignored. The advent of nanotechnology has broadened interest in the hydrodynamics of thin films, and hydromagnetic effects and radiative heat transfer are routinely encountered in materials processing. This monograph develops the basic equations, in the three most important coordinate systems, in a way that makes it easy to incorporate these phenomena into the theory. The book originally described by Prof. Langlois as "a monograph on theoretical hydrodynamics, written in the language of applied mathematics" offers much new coverage including the second principle of thermodynamics, the Boussinesq approximation, time dependent flows, Marangoni convection, Kovasznay flow, plane periodic solutions, Hele-Shaw cells, Stokeslets, rotlets, finite element methods, Wannier flow, corner eddies, and analysis of the Stokes operator.

Many of the topics in inviscid fluid dynamics are not only vitally important mechanisms in everyday life but they are also readily observable without any need for instrumentation. It is therefore stimulating when the mathematics that emerges when these phenomena are modelled is novel and suggestive of alternative methodologies. This book provides senior undergraduates who are already familiar with inviscid fluid dynamics with some of the basic facts about the modelling and analysis of viscous flows. It clearly presents the salient physical ideas and the mathematical ramifications with exercises designed to be an integral part of the text. By showing the basic theoretical framework which has developed as a result of the study of viscous flows, the book should be ideal reading for students of applied mathematics who should then be able to delve further into the subject and be well placed to exploit mathematical ideas throughout the whole of applied science.

Designed for higher level courses in viscous fluid flow, this text presents a comprehensive treatment of the subject. This revision retains the approach and organization for which the first edition has been highly regarded, while bringing the material completely up-to-date. It contains new information on the latest technological advances and includes many more applications, thoroughly updated problems and exercises.

Mechanical engineering, an engineering discipline born of the needs of the industrial revolution, is once again asked to do its substantial share in the call for industrial renewal. The general call is urgent as we face profound issues of productivity and competitiveness that require engineering solutions, among others. The Mechanical Engineering Series is a series featuring graduate texts and research monographs intended to address the need for information in contemporary areas of mechanical engineering. The series is conceived as a comprehensive one that covers a broad range of concentrations important to mechanical engineering graduate education and research. We are fortunate to have a distinguished roster of consulting editors, each an expert in one of the areas of concentration. The names of the consulting editors are listed on the following page of this volume. The areas of concentration are applied mechanics, biomechanics, computational mechanics, dynamic systems and control, energetics, mechanics of materials, processing, thermal science, and tribology. Professor Winer, the consulting editor for tribology, and I are pleased to present this volume of the series: Laminar Viscous Flow, by Professor Constantinescu. The selection of this volume underscores again the interest of the Mechanical Engineering Series to provide our readers with topical monographs as well as graduate texts.

"With the appearance and fast evolution of high performance materials, mechanical, chemical and process engineers cannot perform effectively without fluid processing knowledge. The purpose of this book is to explore the systematic application of basic engineering principles to fluid flows that may occur in fluid processing and related activities. In Viscous Fluid Flow, the authors develop and rationalize the mathematics behind the study of fluid mechanics and examine the flows of Newtonian fluids. Although the material deals with Newtonian fluids, the concepts can be easily generalized to non-Newtonian fluid mechanics. The book contains many examples. Each chapter is accompanied by problems where the chapter theory can be applied to produce characteristic results. Fluid mechanics is a fundamental and essential element of advanced research, even for those working in different areas, because the principles, the equations, the analytical, computational and experimental means, and the purpose are common.

This well-written book explains the theory of spectral methods and their application to the computation of viscous incompressible fluid flow, in clear and elementary terms. With many examples throughout, the work will be useful to those teaching at the graduate level, as well as to researchers working in the area.