This volume takes a much needed multiphysical approach to the numerical and experimental evaluation of the mechanical properties of MEMS and NEMS. The contributed chapters present many of the most recent developments in fields ranging from microfluids and damping to structural analysis, topology optimization and nanoscale simulations. The book responds to a growing need emerging in academia and industry to merge different areas of expertise towards a unified design and analysis of MEMS and NEMS.

This volume takes a much needed multiphysical approach to the numerical and experimental evaluation of the mechanical properties of MEMS and NEMS. The contributed chapters present many of the most recent developments in fields ranging from microfluids and damping to structural analysis, topology optimization and nanoscale simulations. The book responds to a growing need emerging in academia and industry to merge different areas of expertise towards a unified design and analysis of MEMS and NEMS.

This book presents recent advances in the field of computational coupling and contact mechanics with particular emphasis on numerical formulations and methodologies necessary to solve advanced engineering applications.Featuring contributions from leading experts and active researchers in these fields who provide a detailed overview of different modern numerical schemes that can be considered by main numerical methodologies to simulate interaction problems in continuum mechanics.A number of topics are addressed, including formulations based on the finite element method (FEM) and their variants (e.g. isogeometric analysis or standard and generalized high-order FEM: hp-FEM and GFEM, respectively), the boundary element method (BEM), the material point method (MPM) or the recently proposed finite block method (FBM), among many more.Written with PhD students in mind, Advances in Computational Coupling and Contact Mechanics also includes the most recent numerical techniques which could be served as reference material for researchers and practicing engineers. All chapters are self-contained and can be read independently, with numerical formulations accompanied by practical engineering applications.Related Link(s)

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a relatively new and alternative way of non-destructive inspection (NDI). It is the process of implementing a damage detection and characterization strategy for composite structures. The basis of SHM is the application of permanent fixed sensors on a structure, combined with minimum manual intervention to monitor its structural integrity. These sensors detect changes to the material and/or geometric properties of a structural system, including changes to the boundary conditions and system connectivity, which adversely affect the system's performance.This book's primary focus is on the diagnostics element of SHM, namely damage detection in composite structures. The techniques covered include the use of Piezoelectric transducers for active and passive Ultrasonics guided waves and electromechanical impedance measurements, and fiber optic sensors for strain sensing. It also includes numerical modeling of wave propagation in composite structures. Contributed chapters written by leading researchers in the field describe each of these techniques, making it a key text for researchers and NDI practitioners as well as postgraduate students in a number of specialties including materials, aerospace, mechanical and computational engineering.

This book provides an in-depth treatment of the study of the stability of engineering structures. Contributions from internationally recognized leaders in the field ensure a wide coverage of engineering disciplines in which structural stability is of importance, in particular the experimental, analytical and numerical modelling of structural stability applied to aeronautical, civil and marine structures. This second volume in buckling and postbuckling structures builds on the first, and reports on the development of fast semi-analytical methods for the rapid characterization of postbuckling structures; optimization approaches for the design of stiffened composite panels, and a discourse on imperfection sensitivity. This book will be a particularly useful reference to professional engineers, graduate students and researchers interested in structural stability.

This book provides an in-depth treatment of the study of the stability of engineering structures. Contributions from internationally recognized leaders in the field ensure a wide coverage of engineering disciplines in which structural stability is of importance, in particular the analytical and numerical modelling of structural stability applied to aeronautical, civil, marine and offshore structures. The results from a number of comprehensive experimental test programs are also presented, thus enhancing our understanding of stability phenomena as well as validating the analytical and computational solution schemes presented. A variety of structural materials are investigated with special emphasis on carbon-fibre composites, which are being increasingly utilized in weight-critical structures. Instabilities at the meso- and micro-scales are also discussed. This book will be particularly relevant to professional engineers, graduate students and researchers interested in structural stability./a

Selected, peer reviewed papers from the International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies 2009, (ICMAT 2009), Symposium L, 28 June – 3 July, Singapore