Since the early 70's, mixed finite elements have been the object of a wide and deep study by the mathematical and engineering communities. The fundamental role of this method for many application fields has been worldwide recognized and its use has been introduced in several commercial codes. An important feature of mixed finite elements is the interplay between theory and application. Discretization spaces for mixed schemes require suitable compatibilities, so that simple minded approximations generally do not work and the design of appropriate stabilizations gives rise to challenging mathematical problems. This volume collects the lecture notes of a C.I.M.E. course held in Summer 2006, when some of the most world recognized experts in the field reviewed the rigorous setting of mixed finite elements and revisited it after more than 30 years of practice. Applications, in this volume, range from traditional ones, like fluid-dynamics or elasticity, to more recent and active fields, like electromagnetism.

This book offers a collection of 17 scientific papers about the computational modeling of fracture. Some of the manuscripts propose new computational methods and/or how to improve existing cutting edge methods for fracture. These contributions can be classified into two categories: 1. Methods which treat the crack as strong discontinuity such as peridynamics, scaled boundary elements or specific versions of the smoothed finite element methods applied to fracture and 2. Continuous approaches to fracture based on, for instance, phase field models or continuum damage mechanics. On the other hand, the book also offers a wide range of applications where state-of-the-art techniques are employed to solve challenging engineering problems such as fractures in rock, glass, concrete. Also, larger systems such as fracture in subway stations due to fire, arch dams, or concrete decks are studied.

This book by a renowned structural engineer offers comprehensive coverage of both static and dynamic analysis of plate behavior, including classical, numerical, and engineering solutions. It contains more than 100 worked examples showing step by step how the various types of analysis are performed.