Dynamic Matter investigates the life histories of Renaissance objects. Eschewing the critical tendency to study how objects relate to human needs and desires, this work foregrounds the objects themselves, demonstrating their potential to transform their environments as they travel across time and space. Integrating early modern material theories with recent critical approaches in Actor-Network Theory and object-oriented ontology, this volume extends Aristotle’s theory of dynameos—which conceptualizes matter as potentiality—and applies it to objects featured in early modern texts such as Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, Robert Hooke’s Micrographia, and William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Individual chapters explore the dynameos of matter by examining its manifestations in particular forms: combs are inscribed with words and brushed through human hair; feathers are incorporated into garments and artwork; Prince Rupert’s glasswork drops explode; a whale becomes animated by the power of a magical bracelet; and books are drowned. These case studies highlight the potentiality matter itself possesses and that which it activates in other matter. A theorization of objects grounded in Renaissance materialist thought, Dynamic Matter examines the richness of things themselves; the larger, multiple, and changing networks in which things circulate; and the networks created by these transformative objects. In addition to the editor, the contributors to this volume include Anna Riehl Bertolet, Erika Mary Boeckeler, Naomi Howell, Emily E. F. Philbrick, Josie Schoel, Maria Shmygol, Edward McLean Test, Abbie Weinberg, and Sarah F. Williams.

This monograph deals with the behavior of essentially nonlinear heterogeneous materials in processes occurring under intense dynamic loading, where microstructural effects play the main role. This book is not an introduction to the dynamic behavior of materials, and general information available in other books is not included. The material herein is presented in a form I hope will make it useful not only for researchers working in related areas, but also for graduate students. I used it successfully to teach a course on the dynamic behavior of materials at the University of California, San Diego. Another course well suited to the topic may be nonlinear wave dynamics in solids, especially the part on strongly nonlinear waves. About 100 problems presented in the book at the end of each chapter will help the reader to develop a deeper understanding of the subject. I tried to follow a few rules in writing this book: (1) To focus on strongly nonlinear phenomena where there is no small parameter with respect to the amplitude of disturbance, including solitons, shock waves, and localized shear. (2) To take into account phenomena sensitive to materials structure, where typical space scale of material parameters (particle size, cell size) are presented in the models or are variable in experimental research.

This text explores the interaction of rituals and ritualised practices in a range of different cultural, local and historical settings. It discusses whether and why rituals are important today, and why they are possibly even more relevant than before.

Dao theory is an all-inclusive ultimate theory established by ancient Chinese thinkers according to the Origin of the universe. It is used to explain all the basic phenomena in the universe, to guide people's thought and behavior, to guide the establishment of a just and perfect society, and so on. It can be proved through Dao theory that the Origin of the universe is a spiritual body in a zero state, which is the most perfect. The universe comes from the Origin of the universe. The theory established according to the Origin is bound to be all inclusive and can explain the most important phenomena in the universe—life and consciousness. Because the Origin is the most perfect, the theory established according to the Origin will inevitably be able to guide mankind to build a perfect society． There are two versions: the physical version and the popular version. The popular version contains spiritual physics that explains consciousness and soul, omitting general physics. The physical version has the results of the author’s research on general physics, suitable for researchers, teachers and readers who are interested in physics. The cover of physical version is blue, and the cover of the popular version is yellow. This book is the physical version.

This book considers the potential of new, smart materials and their use in architecture. It begins with an overview of current global tendencies (technological, demographic, and socio-anthropological) and their relevance for architectural design. Expanding upon approaches for flexible design solutions to address change and uncertainty, Dr. Kretzer begins by exploring adaptive architecture and proceeds to introduce the topic of “information materials,” which encompasses smart and functional materials, their current usage, and their potential for the creation of future spaces. The second chapter provides a comprehensive overview of architectural materials, past and present, split into the topics: natural, industrial, synthetic, digital, and information materials. Chapter three introduces an educational approach for the mediation of information material usage in design courses and student workshops. The final section provides detailed information on a range of emerging material phenomena, including aerogels, bioluminescence, bio plastics, dye-sensitized solar cells, electroluminescent displays, electroactive polymers, soft robotics, and thermochromics. Each section explains its respective history, working principles, fabrication and (potential) usage in architecture and design, and provides hands-on tutorials on how to self-produce these materials, and displays class-tested experimental installations. The book concludes with an outlook into the domain of synthetic biology and the prospects of a “living” architecture. It is ideal for students of structural materials engineering, architecture, and urban planning; professionals working these in areas, as well as materials science/engineering and architecture educators.

Dynamic Fracture of Piezoelectric Materials focuses on the Boundary Integral Equation Method as an efficient computational tool. The presentation of the theoretical basis of piezoelectricity is followed by sections on fundamental solutions and the numerical realization of the boundary value problems. Two major parts of the book are devoted to the solution of problems in homogeneous and inhomogeneous solids. The book includes contributions on coupled electro-mechanical models, computational methods, its validation and the simulation results, which reveal different effects useful for engineering design and practice. The book is self-contained and well-illustrated, and it serves as a graduate-level textbook or as extra reading material for students and researchers.

Dynamics of Materials: Experiments, Models and Applications addresses the basic laws of high velocity flow/deformation and dynamic failure of materials under dynamic loading. The book comprehensively covers different perspectives on volumetric law, including its macro-thermodynamic basis, solid physics basis, related dynamic experimental study, distortional law, including the rate-dependent macro-distortional law reflecting strain-rate effect, its micro-mechanism based on dislocation dynamics, and dynamic experimental research based on the stress wave theory. The final section covers dynamic failure in relation to dynamic damage evolution, including the unloading failure of a crack-free body, dynamics of cracks under high strain-rate, and more. - Covers models for applications, along with the fundamentals of the mechanisms behind the models - Tackles the difficult interdisciplinary nature of the subject, combining macroscopic continuum mechanics with thermodynamics and macro-mechanics expression with micro-physical mechanisms - Provides a review of the latest experimental methods for the equation of state for solids under high pressure and the distortional law under high strain-rates of materials