'A strong point of this book is its coverage of tensor theory, which is herein deemed both more readable and more substantial than many other historic continuum mechanics books. The book is self-contained. It serves admirably as a reference resource on fundamental principles and equations of tensor mathematics applied to continuum mechanics. Exercises and problem sets are useful for teaching … The book is highly recommended as both a graduate textbook and a reference work for students and more senior researchers involved in theoretical and mathematical modelling of continuum mechanics of materials. Key concepts are well described in the text and are supplemented by informative exercises and problem sets with solutions, and comprehensive Appendices provide important equations for ease of reference.'Contemporary PhysicsA tensor field is a tensor-valued function of position in space. The use of tensor fields allows us to present physical laws in a clear, compact form. A byproduct is a set of simple and clear rules for the representation of vector differential operators such as gradient, divergence, and Laplacian in curvilinear coordinate systems. The tensorial nature of a quantity permits us to formulate transformation rules for its components under a change of basis. These rules are relatively simple and easily grasped by any engineering student familiar with matrix operators in linear algebra. More complex problems arise when one considers the tensor fields that describe continuum bodies. In this case general curvilinear coordinates become necessary. The principal basis of a curvilinear system is constructed as a set of vectors tangent to the coordinate lines. Another basis, called the dual basis, is also constructed in a special manner. The existence of these two bases is responsible for the mysterious covariant and contravariant terminology encountered in tensor discussions.This book provides a clear, concise, and self-contained treatment of tensors and tensor fields. It covers the foundations of linear elasticity, shell theory, and generalized continuum media, offers hints, answers, and full solutions for many of the problems and exercises, and Includes a handbook-style summary of important tensor formulas.The book can be useful for beginners who are interested in the basics of tensor calculus. It also can be used by experienced readers who seek a comprehensive review on applications of the tensor calculus in mechanics.

There is a large gap between engineering courses in tensor algebra on one hand, and the treatment of linear transformations within classical linear algebra on the other. This book addresses primarily engineering students with some initial knowledge of matrix algebra. Thereby, mathematical formalism is applied as far as it is absolutely necessary. Numerous exercises provided in the book are accompanied by solutions enabling autonomous study. The last chapters deal with modern developments in the theory of isotropic and anisotropic tensor functions and their applications to continuum mechanics and might therefore be of high interest for PhD-students and scientists working in this area.

1. Preliminaries. 1.1. The vector concept revisited. 1.2. A first look at tensors. 1.3. Assumed background. 1.4. More on the notion of a vector. 1.5. Problems -- 2. Transformations and vectors. 2.1. Change of basis. 2.2. Dual bases. 2.3. Transformation to the reciprocal frame. 2.4. Transformation between general frames. 2.5. Covariant and contravariant components. 2.6. The cross product in index notation. 2.7. Norms on the space of vectors. 2.8. Closing remarks. 2.9. Problems -- 3. Tensors. 3.1. Dyadic quantities and tensors. 3.2. Tensors from an operator viewpoint. 3.3. Dyadic components under transformation. 3.4. More dyadic operations. 3.5. Properties of second-order tensors. 3.6. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a second-order symmetric tensor. 3.7. The Cayley-Hamilton theorem. 3.8. Other properties of second-order tensors. 3.9. Extending the Dyad idea. 3.10. Tensors of the fourth and higher orders. 3.11. Functions of tensorial arguments. 3.12. Norms for tensors, and some spaces. 3.13. Differentiation of tensorial functions. 3.14. Problems -- 4. Tensor fields. 4.1. Vector fields. 4.2. Differentials and the nabla operator. 4.3. Differentiation of a vector function. 4.4. Derivatives of the frame vectors. 4.5. Christoffel coefficients and their properties. 4.6. Covariant differentiation. 4.7. Covariant derivative of a second-order tensor. 4.8. Differential operations. 4.9. Orthogonal coordinate systems. 4.10. Some formulas of integration. 4.11. Problems -- 5. Elements of differential geometry. 5.1. Elementary facts from the theory of curves. 5.2. The torsion of a curve. 5.3. Frenet-Serret equations. 5.4. Elements of the theory of surfaces. 5.5. The second fundamental form of a surface. 5.6. Derivation formulas. 5.7. Implicit representation of a curve; contact of curves. 5.8. Osculating paraboloid. 5.9. The principal curvatures of a surface. 5.10. Surfaces of revolution. 5.11. Natural equations of a curve. 5.12. A word about rigor. 5.13. Conclusion. 5.14. Problems -- 6. Linear elasticity. 6.1. Stress tensor. 6.2. Strain tensor. 6.3. Equation of motion. 6.4. Hooke's law. 6.5. Equilibrium equations in displacements. 6.6. Boundary conditions and boundary value problems. 6.7. Equilibrium equations in stresses. 6.8. Uniqueness of solution for the boundary value problems of elasticity. 6.9. Betti's reciprocity theorem. 6.10. Minimum total energy principle. 6.11. Ritz's method. 6.12. Rayleigh's variational principle. 6.13. Plane waves. 6.14. Plane problems of elasticity. 6.15. Problems -- 7. Linear elastic shells. 7.1. Some useful formulas of surface theory. 7.2. Kinematics in a neighborhood of [symbol]. 7.3. Shell equilibrium equations. 7.4. Shell deformation and strains; Kirchhoff's hypotheses. 7.5. Shell energy. 7.6. Boundary conditions. 7.7. A few remarks on the Kirchhoff-Love theory. 7.8. Plate theory. 7.9. On Non-classical theories of plates and shells

Tensor Analysis and Nonlinear Tensor Functions embraces the basic fields of tensor calculus: tensor algebra, tensor analysis, tensor description of curves and surfaces, tensor integral calculus, the basis of tensor calculus in Riemannian spaces and affinely connected spaces, - which are used in mechanics and electrodynamics of continua, crystallophysics, quantum chemistry etc. The book suggests a new approach to definition of a tensor in space R3, which allows us to show a geometric representation of a tensor and operations on tensors. Based on this approach, the author gives a mathematically rigorous definition of a tensor as an individual object in arbitrary linear, Riemannian and other spaces for the first time. It is the first book to present a systematized theory of tensor invariants, a theory of nonlinear anisotropic tensor functions and a theory of indifferent tensors describing the physical properties of continua. The book will be useful for students and postgraduates of mathematical, mechanical engineering and physical departments of universities and also for investigators and academic scientists working in continuum mechanics, solid physics, general relativity, crystallophysics, quantum chemistry of solids and material science.

The steady increase in computational power induces an equally steady increase in the complexity of the engineering models and associated computer codes. This particularly affects the modeling of the mechanical response of materials. Material behavior is nowadays modeled in the strongly nonlinear range by tak ing into account finite strains, complex hysteresis effects, fracture phenomena and multiscale features. Progress in this field is of fundamental importance for many engineering disciplines, especially those concerned with material testing, safety, reliability and serviceability analyses of engineering structures. In recent years many important achievements have been made in the field of the theoretical formulation, the mathematical analysis and the numerical im plementation of deformation processes in solids. Computational methods and simulation techniques today play a central role in advancing the understanding of complex material behavior. Research in the field of "ComputationalMechan ics of Materials" is concerned with the development of mathematical models and numerical solution techniques for the simulation of material response. It is a very broad interdisciplinary field of science with inputs from traditional fields such as Applied Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, Materials Science, Solid State Physics and Information Technology. The intention of the IUTAM Symposium "Computational Mechanics of Solid Materials at Large Strains", held at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, from August 20-24, 200I, was to give a state of the art and a survey about recent developments in this field and to create perspectives for future research trends.