Thereareabout500booksonvariationalprinciples. Theyareconcernedmostlywith the mathematical aspects of the topic. The major goal of this book is to discuss the physical origin of the variational principles and the intrinsic interrelations between them. For example, the Gibbs principles appear not as the rst principles of the theory of thermodynamic equilibrium but as a consequence of the Einstein formula for thermodynamic uctuations. The mathematical issues are considered as long as they shed light on the physical outcomes and/or provide a useful technique for direct study of variational problems. Thebookisacompletelyrewrittenversionoftheauthor’smonographVariational Principles of Continuum Mechanics which appeared in Russian in 1983. I have been postponing the English translation because I wished to include the variational pr- ciples of irreversible processes in the new edition. Reaching an understanding of this subject took longer than I expected. In its nal form, this book covers all aspects of the story. The part concerned with irreversible processes is tiny, but it determines the accents put on all the results presented. The other new issues included in the book are: entropy of microstructure, variational principles of vortex line dynamics, va- ational principles and integration in functional spaces, some stochastic variational problems, variational principle for probability densities of local elds in composites with random structure, variational theory of turbulence; these topics have not been covered previously in monographic literature.

Continuum mechanics studies the response of materials to different loading conditions. The concept of tensors is introduced through the idea of linear transformation in a self-contained chapter, and the interrelation of direct notation, indicial notation and matrix operations is clearly presented. A wide range of idealized materials are considered through simple static and dynamic problems, and the book contains an abundance of illustrative examples and problems, many with solutions. Through the addition of more advanced material (solution of classical elasticity problems, constitutive equations for viscoelastic fluids, and finite deformation theory), this popular introduction to modern continuum mechanics has been fully revised to serve a dual purpose: for introductory courses in undergraduate engineering curricula, and for beginning graduate courses.

This revised, updated edition provides a comprehensive and rigorous description of the application of Hamilton’s principle to continuous media. To introduce terminology and initial concepts, it begins with what is called the first problem of the calculus of variations. For both historical and pedagogical reasons, it first discusses the application of the principle to systems of particles, including conservative and non-conservative systems and systems with constraints. The foundations of mechanics of continua are introduced in the context of inner product spaces. With this basis, the application of Hamilton’s principle to the classical theories of fluid and solid mechanics are covered. Then recent developments are described, including materials with microstructure, mixtures, and continua with singular surfaces.

This best-selling textbook presents the concepts of continuum mechanics, and the second edition includes additional explanations, examples and exercises.

The new edition includes additional analytical methods in the classical theory of viscoelasticity. This leads to a new theory of finite linear viscoelasticity of incompressible isotropic materials. Anisotropic viscoplasticity is completely reformulated and extended to a general constitutive theory that covers crystal plasticity as a special case.

As most modern technologies are no longer discipline-specific but involve multidisciplinary approaches, undergraduate engineering students should be introduced to the principles of mechanics so that they have a strong background in the basic principles common to all disciplines and are able to work at the interface of science and engineering disciplines. This textbook is designed for a first course on principles of mechanics and provides an introduction to the basic concepts of stress and strain and conservation principles. It prepares engineer-scientists for advanced courses in traditional as well as emerging fields such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, energy systems, and computational mechanics. This simple book presents the subjects of mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer in a unified form using the conservation principles of mechanics.

Written in response to the dearth of practical and meaningful textbooks in the field of fundamental continuum mechanics, this comprehensive treatment offers students and instructors an immensely useful tool. Its 115 solved problems and exercises not only provide essential practice but also systematically advance the understanding of vector and tensor theory, basic kinematics, balance laws, field equations, jump conditions, and constitutive equations. Readers follow clear, formally precise steps through the central ideas of classical and modern continuum mechanics, expressed in a common, efficient notation that fosters quick comprehension and renders these concepts familiar when they reappear in other contexts. Completion of this brief course results in a unified basis for work in fluid dynamics and the mechanics of solid materials, a foundation of particular value to students of mathematics and physics, those studying continuum mechanics at an intermediate or advanced level, and postgraduate students in the applied sciences. "Should be excellent in its intended function as a problem book to accompany a lecture course." — Quarterly of Applied Math.