The broad use of composite materials and shell structural members with complex geometries in technologies related to various branches of engineering has gained increased attention from scientists and engineers for the development of even more refined approaches and investigation of their mechanical behavior. It is well known that composite materials are able to provide higher values of strength stiffness, and thermal properties, together with conferring reduced weight, which can affect the mechanical behavior of beams, plates, and shells, in terms of static response, vibrations, and buckling loads. At the same time, enhanced structures made of composite materials can feature internal length scales and non-local behaviors, with great sensitivity to different staking sequences, ply orientations, agglomeration of nanoparticles, volume fractions of constituents, and porosity levels, among others. In addition to fiber-reinforced composites and laminates, increased attention has been paid in literature to the study of innovative components such as functionally graded materials (FGMs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets, and smart constituents. Some examples of smart applications involve large stroke smart actuators, piezoelectric sensors, shape memory alloys, magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials, as well as auxetic components and angle-tow laminates. These constituents can be included in the lamination schemes of smart structures to control and monitor the vibrational behavior or the static deflection of several composites. The development of advanced theoretical and computational models for composite materials and structures is a subject of active research and this is explored here for different complex systems, including their static, dynamic, and buckling responses; fracture mechanics at different scales; the adhesion, cohesion, and delamination of materials and interfaces.

The broad use of composite materials and shell structural members with complex geometries in technologies related to various branches of engineering has gained increased attention from scientists and engineers for the development of even more refined approaches and investigation of their mechanical behavior. It is well known that composite materials are able to provide higher values of strength stiffness, and thermal properties, together with conferring reduced weight, which can affect the mechanical behavior of beams, plates, and shells, in terms of static response, vibrations, and buckling loads. At the same time, enhanced structures made of composite materials can feature internal length scales and non-local behaviors, with great sensitivity to different staking sequences, ply orientations, agglomeration of nanoparticles, volume fractions of constituents, and porosity levels, among others. In addition to fiber-reinforced composites and laminates, increased attention has been paid in literature to the study of innovative components such as functionally graded materials (FGMs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets, and smart constituents. Some examples of smart applications involve large stroke smart actuators, piezoelectric sensors, shape memory alloys, magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials, as well as auxetic components and angle-tow laminates. These constituents can be included in the lamination schemes of smart structures to control and monitor the vibrational behavior or the static deflection of several composites. The development of advanced theoretical and computational models for composite materials and structures is a subject of active research and this is explored here for different complex systems, including their static, dynamic, and buckling responses; fracture mechanics at different scales; the adhesion, cohesion, and delamination of materials and interfaces.

This book describes the state-of-the-art research topics in theoretical materials science. It encompasses the computational methods and techniques which can advance more realistic calculations for understanding the physical principles in new growth methods of optoelectronic materials and related surface problems. These principles also govern the photonic, electronic, and structural properties of materials which are essential for device applications. They will also provide the crucial ingredients for the growth of future novel materials.

This book provides an overview of direct methods, such as limit and shakedown analysis, which are intended for avoiding cumbersome step-by-step calculations to determine the limit states of mechanical structures under monotone, cyclic or variable actions with unknown loading history. The book comprises several contributions that demonstrate how tremendous advances in numerical methods, especially in optimization, have contributed to the success of direct methods and their applicability to practical engineering problems in structural mechanics and mechanics of materials. The contents reflect the outcomes of the workshop “Direct Methods for Limit State of Materials and Structures,” held in Cosenza, Italy in June 2022.

The subject of computational plasticity encapsulates the numerical methods used for the finite element simulation of the behaviour of a wide range of engineering materials considered to be plastic – i.e. those that undergo a permanent change of shape in response to an applied force. Computational Methods for Plasticity: Theory and Applications describes the theory of the associated numerical methods for the simulation of a wide range of plastic engineering materials; from the simplest infinitesimal plasticity theory to more complex damage mechanics and finite strain crystal plasticity models. It is split into three parts - basic concepts, small strains and large strains. Beginning with elementary theory and progressing to advanced, complex theory and computer implementation, it is suitable for use at both introductory and advanced levels. The book: Offers a self-contained text that allows the reader to learn computational plasticity theory and its implementation from one volume. Includes many numerical examples that illustrate the application of the methodologies described. Provides introductory material on related disciplines and procedures such as tensor analysis, continuum mechanics and finite elements for non-linear solid mechanics. Is accompanied by purpose-developed finite element software that illustrates many of the techniques discussed in the text, downloadable from the book’s companion website. This comprehensive text will appeal to postgraduate and graduate students of civil, mechanical, aerospace and materials engineering as well as applied mathematics and courses with computational mechanics components. It will also be of interest to research engineers, scientists and software developers working in the field of computational solid mechanics.

This book provides a unique and comprehensive overview of the latest advances, challenges and accomplishments in the rapidly growing field of theoretical and computational materials science. Today, an increasing number of industrial communities rely more and more on advanced atomic-scale methods to obtain reliable predictions of materials properties, complement qualitative experimental analyses and circumvent experimental difficulties. The book examines some of the latest and most advanced simulation techniques currently available, as well as up-to-date theoretical approaches adopted by a selected panel of twelve international research teams. It covers a wide range of novel and advanced materials, exploring their structural, elastic, optical, mass and electronic transport properties. The cutting-edge techniques presented appeal to physicists, applied mathematicians and engineers interested in advanced simulation methods in materials science. The book can also be used as additional literature for undergraduate and postgraduate students with majors in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics and engineering.

With its discussion of strategies for modeling complex materials using new numerical techniques, mainly those based on the finite element method, this monograph covers a range of topics including computational plasticity, multi-scale formulations, optimization and parameter identification, damage mechanics and nonlinear finite elements.