Synopsis
Nonlinear Finite Elements for Continua and Structures Ted Belytschko, Wing Kam Liu, Brian Moran Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois This book provides a comprehensive description of the major methodologies of nonlinear finite element analysis for solid mechanics, as applied to continua and structures. Treatment of the subject is integrated in such a way that the reader can gain an understanding of the fundamental methods, a feeling for the comparative usefulness of different approaches and an appreciation of the difficulties inherent in nonlinear analysis. In-depth coverage of the following is given:
* Lagrangian and arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian treatments of continua
* many of the material laws used in today's software and research
* solution methods, including explicit and implicit time integration methods and methods for equilibrium problems
* basic concepts such as stability and smoothness, and techniques such as linearization and regularization
* methods for shells and structures
* contact-impact problems
* element technology, including multi-field elements
Ideal for self-study, no other book provides such a comprehensive description of nonlinear finite element analysis for solid mechanics. This is an invaluable reference not only for final year undergraduates, postgraduates, academics and engineers working on sophisticated finite element software and in the field of solid mechanics, but also for all users of nonlinear finite element programs.
Booknews
In a textbook for beginning students of mechanical or civil engineering, applied mathematics, or engineering mechanics, three engineers at Northwestern University use a mechanical rather than mathematical approach to introduce the formulation and solution of the discrete equations for various classes of problems that are of principal interest in applications of the finite element method to solid and structural mechanics. They assume students to have some background with the finite element method; shape functions, stiffness and force assembly; and variational or energy methods. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)