This book treats stability problems of equilibrium states of elastic rods. Euler energy and dynamical methods of stability analysis are introduced and stability criteria for each method is developed. Stability analysis is accompanied by a number of classical conservative and non-conservative, two- and three-dimensional problems. Some problems are treated by all three methods. Many generalized versions of known problems are presented (heavy vertical rod, rotating rod, Greenhill's problem, Beck's column, Pflger's rod, strongest column, etc.). The generalizations consist in using either a generalized form of constitutive equations or a more general form of loading, or both. Special attention is paid to the influence of shear stresses and axis compressibility on the value of the critical load. Variational methods are applied to obtain estimates of the critical load and maximal deflection in the post-critical state, in a selected number of examples.

Stability of Discrete Non-conservative Systems first exposes the general concepts and results concerning stability issues. It then presents an approach of stability that is different from Lyapunov which leads to the second order work criterion. Thanks to the new concept of Kinematic Structural Stability, a complete equivalence between two approaches of stability is obtained for a divergent type of stability. Extensions to flutter instability, to continuous systems, and to the dual questions concerning the measure of non-conservativeness provides a full, fresh look at these fundamental questions. A special chapter is devoted to applications for granular systems. - Presents a structured review on stability questions - Provides analytical methods and key concepts that may be used in non-conservative frameworks like hypoelasticity

This updated revision gives a complete and topical overview on Nonconservative Stability which is essential for many areas of science and technology ranging from particles trapping in optical tweezers and dynamics of subcellular structures to dissipative and radiative instabilities in fluid mechanics, astrophysics and celestial mechanics. The author presents relevant mathematical concepts as well as rigorous stability results and numerous classical and contemporary examples from non-conservative mechanics and non-Hermitian physics. New coverage of ponderomotive magnetism, experimental detection of Ziegler’s destabilization phenomenon and theory of double-diffusive instabilities in magnetohydrodynamics.