This book gives a self-contained introduction to the subject of asymptotic approximation for multivariate integrals for both mathematicians and applied scientists. A collection of results of the Laplace methods is given. Such methods are useful for example in reliability, statistics, theoretical physics and information theory. An important special case is the approximation of multidimensional normal integrals. Here the relation between the differential geometry of the boundary of the integration domain and the asymptotic probability content is derived. One of the most important applications of these methods is in structural reliability. Engineers working in this field will find here a complete outline of asymptotic approximation methods for failure probability integrals.

The development of water resources is a key element in the socio-economic development of many regions in the world. Water availability and rainfall are unequally distributed both in space and time, so dams play a vital role, there being few viable alternatives for storing water. Dams hold a prime place in satisfying the ever-increasing demand for power, irrigation and drinking water, for protection of man, property and environment from catastrophic floods, and for regulating the flow of rivers. Dams have contributed to the development of civilization for over 2,000 years. Worldwide there are some 45,000 large dams listed by ICOLD, which have a height over 15 meters. Today, in western countries, where most of the water resources have been developed, the safety of the existing dams and measures for extending their economical life are of prime concern. In developing countries the focus is on the construction of new dams. The proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Dam Engineering includes contributions from 18 countries, and provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in hydropower development, new type dams, new materials and new technologies, dam and environment. Traditional areas, such as concrete dams and embankment dams, methods of analysis and design of dams, dam foundation, seismic analysis, design and safety, stability of dam and slope, dam safety monitoring and instrumentation, dam maintenance, and rehabilitation and heightening are also considered. The book is of special interest to scientists, researchers, engineers, and students working in dam engineering, dam design, hydropower development, environmental engineering, and structural hydraulics.

Offers a modern, rigorous and comprehensive treatment of the subject using numerous well-designed examples and end-of-chapter problems.

The majority of the cases of earthquake damage to buildings, bridges, and other retaining structures are influenced by soil and ground conditions. To address such phenomena, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering is the appropriate discipline. This textbook presents the fundamentals of Soil Dynamics, combined with the basic principles, theories and methods of Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering. It is designed for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in Civil Engineering & Architecture. The text will also be useful to young faculty members, practising engineers and consultants. Besides, teachers will find it a useful reference for preparation of lectures and for designing short courses in Soil Dynamics and Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering. The book first presents the theory of vibrations and dynamics of elastic system as well as the fundamentals of engineering seismology. With this background, the readers are introduced to the characteristics of Strong Ground Motion, and Deterministic and Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. The risk analysis and the reliability process of geotechnical engineering are presented in detail. An in-depth study of dynamic soil properties and the methods of their determination provide the basics to tackle the dynamic soil–structure interaction problems. Practical problems of dynamics of beam–foundation systems, dynamics of retaining walls, dynamic earth pressure theory, wave propagation and liquefaction of soil are treated in detail with illustrative examples.