Through the contributions of well-known scholars, this book provides an updated overview of some relevant developments and applications in this rapidly growing field. Topics include constitutive models for geomaterials, numerical analysis of ground improvement techniques and tunnelling problems.

In geomechanics, existing design methods are very much dependent upon sophisticated on-site techniques to assess ground conditions. This book describes numerical analysis, computer simulation and modelling that can be used to answer some highly complex questions associated with geomechanics. The contributors, who are all international experts in the field, also give insights into the future directions of these methods. Numerical Analysis and Modelling in Geomechanics will appeal to professional engineers involved in designing and building both onshore and offshore structures, where geomechanical considerations may well be outside the usual codes of practice, and therefore specialist advice is required. Postgraduate researchers, degree students carrying out project work in this area will also find the book an invaluable resource.

“Computational Plasticity with Emphasis on the Application of the Unified Strength Theory” explores a new and important branch of computational mechanics and is the third book in a plasticity series published by Springer. The other two are: Generalized Plasticity, Springer: Berlin, 2006; and Structural Plasticity, Springer and Zhejiang University Press: Hangzhou, 2009. This monograph describes the unified strength theory and associated flow rule, the implementation of these basic theories in computational programs, and shows how a series of results can be obtained by using them. The unified strength theory has been implemented in several special nonlinear finite-element programs and commercial Finite Element Codes by individual users and corporations. Many new and interesting findings for beams, plates, underground caves, excavations, strip foundations, circular foundations, slop, underground structures of hydraulic power stations, pumped-storage power stations, underground mining, high-velocity penetration of concrete structures, ancient structures, and rocket components, along with relevant computational results, are presented. This book is intended for graduate students, researchers and engineers working in solid mechanics, engineering and materials science. The theories and methods provided in this book can also be used for other computer codes and different structures. More results can be obtained, which put the potential strength of the material to better use, thus offering material-saving and energy-saving solutions. Mao-Hong Yu is a professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.

This book presents recent research into developing and applying computational tools to estimate the performance and safety of hydraulic structures from the planning and construction stage to the service period. Based on the results of a close collaboration between the author and his colleagues, friends, students and field engineers, it shows how to achieve a good correlation between numerical computation and the actual in situ behavior of hydraulic structures. The book’s heuristic and visualized style disseminates the philosophy and road map as well as the findings of the research. The chapters reflect the various aspects of the three typical and practical methods (the finite element method, the block element method, the composite element method) that the author has been working on and made essential contributions to since the 1980s. This book is an advanced continuation of Hydraulic Structures by the same author, published by Springer in 2015.

Geomechanics is the mechanics of geomaterials, i.e. soils and rocks, and deals with fascinating problems such as settlements, stability of excavations, tunnels and offshore platforms, landslides, earthquakes and liquefaction. This edited book presents recent mathematical and computational tools and models to describe and simulate such problems in Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. It includes a collection of contributions emanating from the three Euroconferences GeoMath ("Mathematical Methods in Geomechanics") that were held between 2000 and 2002 in Innsbruck/Austria and Horto/Greece.

This book thoroughly describes a theory concerning the yield and failure of materials under multi-axial stresses – the Unified Strength Theory, which was first proposed by the author and has been frequently quoted since. It provides a system of yield and failure criteria adopted for most materials, from metals to rocks, concretes, soils, and polymers. This new edition includes six additional chapters: General behavior of Strength theory function; Visualization of the Unified Strength Theory; Equivalent Stress of the UST and Comparisons with other criteria; Economic Signification of the UST; General form of failure criterion; Beauty of Strength Theories. It is intended for researchers and graduate students in various fields, including engineering mechanics, material mechanics, plasticity, soil mechanics, rock mechanics, mechanics of metallic materials and civil engineering, hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, mechanical engineering and military engineering.

The International Symposium on History of Machines and Mechanisms is a new initiative to promote explicitly researches and publications in the field of the History of TMM (Theory of Machines and Mechanisms). It was held at the University of Cassino, Italy, from 11 to 13 May 2000. The Symposium was devoted mainly to the technical aspects of historical developments and therefore it has been addressed mainly to the IFToMM Community. In fact, most the authors of the contributed papers are experts in TMM and related topics. This has been, indeed, a challenge: convincing technical experts to go further in-depth into the background of their topics of expertise. We have received a very positive response, as can be seen by the fact that these Proceedings contain contributions by authors from all around the world. We received about 50 papers, and after review about 40 papers were accepted for both presentation and publishing in the Proceedings. This means also that the History of TMM is of interest everywhere and, indeed, an in-depth knowledge of the past can be of great help in working on the present and in shaping the future with new ideas. I believe that a reader will take advantage of the papers in these Proceedings with further satisfaction and motivation for her or his work (historical or not). These papers cover the wide field of the History of Mechanical Engineering and particularly the History of TMM.