This volume presents recent research work focused in the development of adequate theoretical and numerical formulations to describe the behavior of advanced engineering materials. Particular emphasis is devoted to applications in the fields of biological tissues, phase changing and porous materials, polymers and to micro/nano scale modeling. Sensitivity analysis, gradient and non-gradient based optimization procedures are involved in many of the chapters, aiming at the solution of constitutive inverse problems and parameter identification. All these relevant topics are exposed by experienced international and inter institutional research teams resulting in a high level compilation. The book is a valuable research reference for scientists, senior undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for engineers acting in the area of computational material modeling.

Electric control of magnetic properties, or inversely, magnetic control of dielectric properties in solids, is called a magnetoelectric effect and has long been investigated from the point of view of both fundamental physics and potential application. Magnetic and dielectric properties usually show minimal coupling, but it recently has been discovered that magnetically induced ferroelectricity in some spiral magnets enables remarkably large and versatile magnetoelectric responses. To stabilize such helimagnetism, magnetic frustration (competition between different magnetic interactions) is considered the key. In the present work, two of the most typical frustrated spin systems-triangular lattice antiferromagnets and edge-shared chain magnets-have systematically been investigated. Despite the crystallographic simplicity of target systems, rich magnetoelectric responses are ubiquitously observed. The current results published here offer a useful guideline in the search for new materials with unique magnetoelectric functions, and also provide an important basis for a deeper understanding of magnetoelectric phenomena in more complex systems.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of thin film structures in energy applications. Each chapter contains both fundamentals principles for each thin film structure as well as the relevant energy application technologies. The authors cover thin films for a variety of energy sectors including inorganic and organic solar cells, DSSCs, solid oxide fuel cells, thermoelectrics, phosphors and cutting tools.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents discusses recent advances in the chemistry involved for the controlled synthesis and assembly of metal oxide nanoparticles, the characterizations required by such nanoobjects, and their size and shape depending properties.

In the last few years, a valuable alternative to the well-known aqueous sol-gel processes was developed in the form of nonaqueous solution routes. Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents reviews and compares surfactant- and solvent-controlled routes, as well as providing an overview of techniques for the characterization of metal oxide nanoparticles, crystallization pathways, the physical properties of metal oxide nanoparticles, their applications in diverse fields of technology, and their assembly into larger nano- and mesostructures.

Researchers and postgraduates in the fields of nanomaterials and sol-gel chemistry will appreciate this book s informative approach to chemical formation mechanisms in relation to metal oxides.

This the sixth volume of six from the Annual Conference of the Society for Experimental Mechanics, 2010, brings together 128 chapters on Experimental and Applied Mechanics. It presents early findings from experimental and computational investigations including High Accuracy Optical Measurements of Surface Topography, Elastic Properties of Living Cells, Standards for Validating Stress Analyses by Integrating Simulation and Experimentation, Efficiency Enhancement of Dye-sensitized Solar Cell, and Blast Performance of Sandwich Composites With Functionally Graded Core.

The book provides personal memories along with description of scientific works written by ex-graduate students and research associates of the late Professor Glass. The described research work covers a wide range of shock wave phenomena, resulting from seeds planted by Professor Glass. Professor Glass was born in Poland in 1918. He immigrated together with his parents to Canada at the age of 12 and received all his professional education at the University of Toronto, Canada. He became a world recognized expert in shock wave phenomena, and during his 45 years of active research he supervised more than 125 master and doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows and visiting research associates. In this book seven of his past students/research-associates describe their personal memories of Professor Glass and present some of their investigations in shock wave phenomena which sprung from their past work with Professor Glass. Specifically, these investigations include underwater shock waves, shock/bubble interaction, medical applications of shock wave, various types of shock tubes and shock tube techniques, shock wave attenuation and different types of shock wave reflections.

1 Automatisierung von Vakuumbeschichtungsanlagen.- 1.1 Vorbemerkungen.- 1.2 Steuerungssysteme.- 1.3 Materialfluss.- 1.3.1 Batch-Anlagen.- 1.3.2 Durchlauf-Anlagen (in-line-Anlagen).- 1.3.3 Cluster-Anlagen.- 1.3.4 Bandanlagen.- 1.4 Automatisierung von Teilsystemen.- 1.4.1 Pumpsatz-Steuerungen.- 1.4.2 Druckregelungen.- 1.4.2.1 Druckregelung durch Saugvermoegen.- 1.4.2.2 Druckregelung durch Gasfluss.- 1.4.3 Substrattransport.- 1.4.4 Substrattemperatur.- 1.4.4.1 Heizeinrichtungen.- 1.4.4.2 Messen und Regeln der Substrattemperatur.- 1.4.5 Automatisierung von Verdampfern.- 1.4.5.1 Widerstands-Verdampfer.- 1.4.5.2 Induktive Verdampfer.- 1.4.5.3 Elektronenstrahl-Verdampfer.- 1.4.6 Automatisierung von Sputterprozessen.- 1.4.6.1 Gleichstrom-Sputtern.- 1.4.6.2 Hochfrequenz-Sputtern.- 1.4.6.3 Magnetfeld-Verstellung.- 1.4.6.4 Plasma-Erkennung.- 1.4.7 Schichtdicke und Rate.- 1.4.7.1 Schichtdickenregelung.- 1.4.7.2 Abschalt-Kriterien.- 1.4.7.3 Ratenregelung.- 1.4.8 Reaktivprozesse.- 1.5 Beispiele fur die Automatisierung von Beschichtungsprozessen.- 1.5.1 Prozesssteuerung fur Aufdampfanlagen.- 1.5.2 Prozesssteuerung fur Sputter-Durchlauf-Anlagen.- 1.5.3 Automatisierung von CVD-Anlagen.- 2 Messungen an Dunnen Schichten wahrend des Beschichtungsprozesses.- 2.1 Bestimmung der Schichtdicke durch Widerstandsmessung.- 2.2 Ratenmessung durch Teilchen-Ionisierung und -Anregung.- 2.2.1 UEberblick.- 2.2.2 Ionensonde.- 2.2.3 Massenspektrometer.- 2.2.4 EIES.- 2.3 Schichtdicken und Aufdampfratemessung mit Schwingquarz.- 2.3.1 Einleitung und Ruckblick.- 2.3.1.1 Frequenz-Messmethode.- 2.3.1.2 Periodenzeit-Messmethode.- 2.3.1.3 Z-Match(R)-Verfahren.- 2.3.1.4 Zweifrequenz-oder Auto-Z-Match(R)-Verfahren.- 2.3.2 Sensor-Kennlinie (Massenempfindlichkeit).- 2.3.3 Grenzen der Genauigkeit und des Verwendungsbereichs.- 2.3.3.1 Einfluss des angewandten Verfahrens.- 2.3.3.2 Einfluss der Materialdichte.- 2.3.3.3 Schicht-Relaxation.- 2.3.3.4 Auswirkung intrinsischer Schichtspannungen.- 2.3.3.5 Temperatureinfluss.- 2.3.3.5.1 Frequenz-Temperaturkennlinie des Quarzes.- 2.3.3.5.2 Frequenz-Temperaturkennlinie des vollstandigen Messkopfes.- 2.3.3.6 Auftreten und Ursachen von Frequenzsprungen.- 2.3.3.6.1 Grenzschicht Quarz-Elektrode.- 2.3.3.6.2 Kopplung mit Nebenmoden.- 2.3.3.7 Anzeige der Messquarz-Restverwendungsdauer.- 2.3.3.7.1 Warnung bei Erreichen einer bestimmten Frequenzanderung.- 2.3.3.7.2 Dampfungs-bzw. materialabhangige Anzeige der Restverwendungsdauer.- 2.3.4 Schlussfolgerung und Zusammenfassung.- 2.4 Optische Messverfahren.- 2.4.1 Eilipsometer.- 2.4.2 Optische Prozesstechnik.- 2.4.2.1 Vorbemerkungen.- 2.4.2.2 Systematik der optischen Schichtdickenmessung.- 2.4.2.3 Monochromatische optische Schichtdickenmessung.- 2.4.2.3.1 Triggerpunktabschaltung/Extremwertabschaltung.- 2.4.2.3.2 Fehlerkompensation der direkten Messmethode bei Extremwertabschaltungen von ?/4-Schichtsystemen.- 2.4.2.3.3 Triggerpunktabschaltung mit On-Line-Korrektur.- 2.4.2.3.4 Probleme bei der Umsetzung der monochromatischen Schichtdickenmessung in die Praxis.- 2.4.2.3.5 Prozessfotometer fur die monochromatische optische Schichtdickenmessung.- 2.4.2.4 Breitbandige optische Schichtdickenmessung/ On-line-Nachoptimierung.- 2.4.3 Beispiele fur die Berechnung und Realisierung von Systemen aus dunnen Schichten.- 2.4.3.1 Matrixmethode zur Berechnung optischer Schichtsysteme.- 2.4.3.2 Eigenschaften einer Einfachschicht.- 2.4.3.3 Symmetrische Schichtsysteme.- 2.4.3.4 Schichtsysteme aus ?/4-und ?/2-Schichten.- 2.4.3.5 Rechnerunterstutzter Entwurf von Schichtsystemen.- 2.5 Schichtdickenbestimmung durch Wagung im Vakuum.- 2.6 Bestimmung der Schichtdicke und der Schichtzusammensetzung durch Roentgenemission und Roentgenfluoreszenz.- 2.7 Atomemissionsspektroskopie.- 3 Messungen an dunnen Schichten nach beendetem Beschichtungsprozess.- 3.1 Messung der thermischen Leitfahigkeit.- 3.1.1 Allgemeines.- 3.1.2 Experimentelle Bestimmung.- 3.2 Elektrische Leitfahigkeit.- 3.2.1 Definition.- 3.2.2 Bestimmungs

Individuals who will be involved in design and manufacturing of finished products need to understand the grand spectrum of manufacturing technology. Comprehensive and fundamental, Manufacturing Technology: Materials, Processes, and Equipment introduces and elaborates on the field of manufacturing technology its processes, materials, tooling, and equipment. The book emphasizes the fundamentals of processes, their capabilities, typical applications, advantages, and limitations. Thorough and insightful, it provides mathematical modeling and equations as needed to enhance the basic understanding of the material at hand.

Designed for upper-level undergraduates in mechanical, industrial, manufacturing, and materials engineering disciplines, this book covers complete manufacturing technology courses taught in engineering colleges and institutions worldwide. The book also addresses the needs of production and manufacturing engineers and technologists participating in related industries.

In the past several decades, the research on spin transport and magnetism has led to remarkable scientific and technological breakthroughs, including Albert Fert and Peter Gr nberg's Nobel Prize-winning discovery of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) in magnetic metallic multilayers. Handbook of Spin Transport and Magnetism provides a comprehensive, balanced account of the state of the art in the field known as spin electronics or spintronics. It reveals how key phenomena first discovered in one class of materials, such as spin injection in metals, have been revisited decades later in other materials systems, including silicon, organic semiconductors, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carefully engineered nanostructures. The first section of the book offers a historical and personal perspective of the field written by Nobel Prize laureate Albert Fert. The second section addresses physical phenomena, such as GMR, in hybrid structures of ferromagnetic and normal metals. The third section discusses recent developments in spin-dependent tunneling, including magnetic tunnel junctions with ferroelectric barriers. In the fourth section, the contributors look at how to control spin and magnetism in semiconductors. In the fifth section, they examine phenomena typically found in nanostructures made from metals, superconductors, molecular magnets, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and graphene. The final section covers novel spin-based applications, including advanced magnetic sensors, nonvolatile magnetoresistive random access memory, and semiconductor spin-lasers. The techniques and materials of spintronics have rapidly evolved in recent years, leading to vast improvements in hard drive storage and magnetic sensing. With extensive cross-references between chapters, this seminal handbook provides a complete guide to spin transport and magnetism across various classes of materials and structures.

Magnetic nanocatalysts are becoming an important tool for greener catalytic processes in chemical transformations in view of the ease of their removal from a reaction medium. This book explores assorted magnetic nanocatalysts, their deployment in synthesis, chemical transformation and their recovery and reuse. Various thematic topics embodied include magnetic nanocatalysts for S-S bond formation, N-heterocycle formation, C-heteroatom bond formation, silica-supported catalysts, multicomponent reactions, including their recyclability; another available volume emphasizes the utility of magnetic nanocatalysts in industrial appliances.

This book presents an up-to-date overview on the main classes of metallic materials currently used in aeronautical structures and propulsion engines and discusses other materials of potential interest for structural aerospace applications. The coverage encompasses light alloys such as aluminum-, magnesium-, and titanium-based alloys, including titanium aluminides; steels; superalloys; oxide dispersion strengthened alloys; refractory alloys; and related systems such as laminate composites. In each chapter, materials properties and relevant technological aspects, including processing, are presented. Individual chapters focus on coatings for gas turbine engines and hot corrosion of alloys and coatings. Readers will also find consideration of applications in aerospace-related fields. The book takes full account of the impact of energy saving and environmental issues on materials development, reflecting the major shifts that have occurred in the motivations guiding research efforts into the development of new materials systems. Aerospace Alloys will be a valuable reference for graduate students on materials science and engineering courses and will also provide useful information for engineers working in the aerospace, metallurgical, and energy production industries.

This book contains selected papers of the 11th OpenFOAM (R) Workshop that was held in Guimaraes, Portugal, June 26 - 30, 2016. The 11th OpenFOAM (R) Workshop had more than 140 technical/scientific presentations and 30 courses, and was attended by circa 300 individuals, representing 180 institutions and 30 countries, from all continents. The OpenFOAM (R) Workshop provided a forum for researchers, industrial users, software developers, consultants and academics working with OpenFOAM (R) technology. The central part of the Workshop was the two-day conference, where presentations and posters on industrial applications and academic research were shown. OpenFOAM (R) (Open Source Field Operation and Manipulation) is a free, open source computational toolbox that has a larger user base across most areas of engineering and science, from both commercial and academic organizations. As a technology, OpenFOAM (R) provides an extensive range of features to solve anything from complex fluid flows involving chemical reactions, turbulence and heat transfer, to solid dynamics and electromagnetics, among several others. Additionally, the OpenFOAM technology offers complete freedom to customize and extend its functionalities.

The book investigates the role of artificial input delay in approximating unknown system dynamics, referred to as time-delayed control (TDC), and provides novel solutions to current design issues in TDC. Its central focus is on designing adaptive-switching gain-based robust control (ARC) for a class of Euler-Lagrange (EL) systems with minimal or no knowledge of the system dynamics parameters. The newly proposed TDC-based ARC tackles the commonly observed over- and under-estimation issues in switching gain. The consideration of EL systems lends a practical perspective on the proposed methods, and each chapter is supplemented by relevant experimental data. The book offers a unique resource for researchers in the areas of ARC and TDC alike, and covers the state of the art, new algorithms, and future directions.

This book investigates stability loss problems of the viscoelastic composite materials and structural members within the framework of the Three-Dimensional Linearized Theory of Stability (TDLTS). The stability loss problems are considered the development of the initial infinitesimal imperfection in the structure of the material or of the structural members. This development is studied within the framework of the Three-Dimensional Geometrical Non-Linear Theory of the Deformable Solid Body Mechanics. The solution to the corresponding boundary-value problems is presented in the series form in the small parameter which characterizes the degree of the initial imperfection. In this way, the nonlinear problems for the domains bounded by noncanonical surfaces are reduced for the same nonlinear problem for the corresponding domains bounded by canonical surfaces and the series subsequent linearized problems. It is proven that the equations and relations of these linearized problems coincide with the corresponding ones of the well-known TDLTS. Under concrete investigations as stability loss criterion the case is taken for the initial infinitesimal imperfection that starts to increase indefinitely. Moreover, it is proven that the critical parameters can be determined by the use of only the zeroth and first approximations.

This book gives an introduction to the finite element method as a general computational method for solving partial differential equations approximately. Our approach is mathematical in nature with a strong focus on the underlying mathematical principles, such as approximation properties of piecewise polynomial spaces, and variational formulations of partial differential equations, but with a minimum level of advanced mathematical machinery from functional analysis and partial differential equations.In principle, the material should be accessible to students with only knowledge of calculus of several variables, basic partial differential equations, and linear algebra, as the necessary concepts from more advanced analysis are introduced when needed. Throughout the text we emphasize implementation of the involved algorithms, and have therefore mixed mathematical theory with concrete computer code using the numerical software MATLAB is and its PDE-Toolbox.We have also had the ambition to cover some of the most important applications of finite elements and the basic finite element methods developed for those applications, including diffusion and transport phenomena, solid and fluid mechanics, and also electromagnetics.

This book focuses on the use of nanotechnology in several fields of engineering. Among others, the reader will find valuable information as to how nanotechnology can aid in extending the life of component materials exposed to corrosive atmospheres, in thermal fluid energy conversion processes, anti-reflection coatings on photovoltaic cells to yield enhanced output from solar cells, in connection with friction and wear reduction in automobiles, and buoyancy suppression in free convective heat transfer. Moreover, this unique resource presents the latest research on nanoscale transport phenomena and concludes with a look at likely future trends.

This book provides a comprehensive and concise description of most important aspects of experimental and theoretical investigations of porous materials and powders, with the use and application of these materials in different fields of science, technology, national economy and environment. It allows the reader to understand the basic regularities of heat and mass transfer and adsorption occurring in qualitatively different porous materials and products, and allows the reader to optimize the functional properties of porous and powdered products and materials. Written in an straightforward and transparent manner, this book is accessible to both experts and those without specialist knowledge, and it is further elucidated by drawings, schemes and photographs. Porous materials and powders with different pore sizes are used in many areas of industry, geology, agriculture and science. These areas include (i) a variety of devices and supplies; (ii) thermal insulation and building materials; (iii) oil-bearing geological, gas-bearing and water-bearing rocks; and (iv) biological objects. Structural Properties of Porous Materials and Powders Used in Different Fields of Science and Technology is intended for a wide-ranging audience specializing in different fields of science and engineering including engineers, geologists, geophysicists, oil and gas producers, agronomists, physiologists, pharmacists, researchers, teachers and students.

This book provides an overview of friction stir welding and friction stir spot welding with a focus on aluminium to aluminium and aluminium to copper. It also discusses experimental results for friction stir spot welding between aluminium and copper, offering a good foundation for researchers wishing to conduct more investigations on FSSW Al/Cu. Presenting full methodologies for manufacturing and case studies on FSSW Al/Cu, which can be duplicated and used for industrial purposes, it also provides a starting point for researchers and experts in the field to investigate the FSSW process in detail. A variant of the friction stir welding process (FSW), friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a relatively new joining technique and has been used in a variety of sectors, such as the automotive and aerospace industries. The book describes the microstructural evolution, chemical and mechanical properties of FSW and FSSW, including a number of case studies.

This book provides an introductory and general overview of advances in polymers towards their employment as antimicrobial materials. The author describes current approaches for avoiding microbial contamination, toward macro-molecular antibiotics, and prevention of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by use of polymers. He establishes the remaining issues and analyzes existing methodologies for treating bacterial infections and for preparing antimicrobial materials.

This is the second edition of the book "Thermodynamics of Fluids under Flow," which was published in 2000 and has now been corrected, expanded and updated. This is a companion book to our other title Extended irreversible thermodynamics (D. Jou, J. Casas-Vazquez and G. Lebon, Springer, 4th edition 2010), and of the textbook Understanding non-equilibrium thermodynamics (G. Lebon, D. Jou and J. Casas-Vazquez, Springer, 2008. The present book is more specialized than its counterpart, as it focuses its attention on the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of flowing fluids, incorporating non-trivial thermodynamic contributions of the flow, going beyond local equilibrium theories, i.e., including the effects of internal variables and of external forcing due to the flow. Whereas the book's first edition was much more focused on polymer solutions, with brief glimpses into ideal and real gases, the present edition covers a much wider variety of systems, such as: diluted and concentrated polymer solutions, polymer blends, laminar and turbulent superfluids, phonon hydrodynamics and heat transport in nanosystems, nuclear collisions, far-from-equilibrium ideal gases, and molecular solutions. It also deals with a variety of situations, emphasizing the non-equilibrium flow contribution: temperature and entropy in flowing ideal gases, shear-induced effects on phase transitions in real gases and on polymer solutions, stress-induced migration and its application to flow chromatography, Taylor dispersion, anomalous diffusion in flowing systems, the influence of the flow on chemical reactions, and polymer degradation. The new edition is not only broader in scope, but more educational in character, and with more emphasis on applications, in keeping with our times. It provides many examples of how a deeper theoretical understanding may bring new and more efficient applications, forging links between theoretical progress and practical aims. This updated version expands on the trusted content of its predecessor, making it more interesting and useful for a larger audience."

This thesis explores a route to induce and control the structure formation process in thin films by the use of strong electric fields. We investigate, establish and apply the use of the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) lithography as a versatile patterning tool on the sub-micrometre and nanometre length scales for functional materials. Thin films are ubiquitous, they are found in nature and used in almost every aspect of daily life. While film instabilities are often undesirable in nature and technology, they can be utilized to produce structures by precisely controlling the destabilization of the film. EHD lithography utilizes instabilities induced by means of an electric field to fabricate periodic structures. EHD patterning is set to become a competitive candidate for low-cost lithographic technology for a number of applications. Herein, the applied potential of this lithographic process is explored by expanding its applicability to a broad range of materials and by a simultaneous patterning of multilayer systems or functional polymers yielding hierarchical architectures with novel functionalities.
EHD pattern formation enables for instance, the fabrication of multi-scale structured arrays as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active platforms. Furthermore, crystalline and conductive polymers are patterned using the EHD approach and the underlying structure formation mechanisms are discussed. This extension towards functional material systems offers interesting prospects for potential applications. Findings of this thesis are very promising for use in optoelectronic devices.

This book provides fundamental understanding and practical application of characteristics of flexural motion in the assessment of the weld size and coating thickness. Some formulations of heat transfer and flexural motion are introduced while displacement and load correlation are used to estimate elastic modules and the size of the heat affected zone as well as the coating thickness. The case studies presented give a practical understanding of weld size and coating thickness characterizations.

This book describes for the first time a simulation method for the fast calculation of contact properties and friction between rough surfaces in a complete form.

In contrast to existing simulation methods, the method of dimensionality reduction (MDR) is based on the exact mapping of various types of three-dimensional contact problems onto contacts of one-dimensional foundations. Within the confines of MDR, not only are three dimensional systems reduced to one-dimensional, but also the resulting degrees of freedom are independent from another. Therefore, MDR results in an enormous reduction of the development time for the numerical implementation of contact problems as well as the direct computation time and can ultimately assume a similar role in tribology as FEM has in structure mechanics or CFD methods, in hydrodynamics. Furthermore, it substantially simplifies analytical calculation and presents a sort of pocket book edition of the entirety contact mechanics.

Measurements of the rheology of bodies in contact as well as their surface topography and adhesive properties are the inputs of the calculations. In particular, it is possible to capture the entire dynamics of a system beginning with the macroscopic, dynamic contact calculation all the way down to the influence of roughness in a single numerical simulation model. Accordingly, MDR allows for the unification of the characteristic methods of solving contact problems on different scales.

The goals of this book are on the one hand, to prove the applicability and reliability of the method and on the other hand, to explain its extremely simple application to those interested."

This book presents the main outcomes of the first European research project on the seismic behavior of adjustable steel storage pallet racking systems. In particular, it describes a comprehensive and unique set of full-scale tests designed to assess such behavior. The tests performed include cyclic tests of full-scale rack components, namely beam-to-upright connections and column base connections; static and dynamic tests to assess the friction factor between pallets and rack beams; full-scale pushover and pseudodynamic tests of storage racks in down-aisle and cross-aisle directions; and full-scale dynamic tests on two-bay, three-level rack models. The implications of the findings of this extensive testing regime on the seismic behavior of racking systems are discussed in detail, highlighting e.g. the confirmation that under severe dynamic conditions "sliding" is the main factor influencing rack response. This work was conceived during the development of the SEISRACKS project. Its outcomes will contribute significantly to increasing our knowledge of the structural behavior of racks under earthquake conditions and should inform future rack design.

This book presents the theoretical concepts of stress and strain, as well as the strengthening and fracture mechanisms of engineering materials in an accessible level for non-expert readers, but without losing scientific rigor. This volume fills the gap between the specialized books on mechanical behavior, physical metallurgy and material science and engineering books on strength of materials, structural design and materials failure. Therefore it is intended for college students and practicing engineers that are learning for the first time the mechanical behavior and failure of engineering materials or wish to deepen their understanding on these topics. The book includes specific topics seldom covered in other books, such as: how to determine a state of stress, the relation between stress definition and mechanical design, or the theory behind the methods included in industrial standards to assess defects or to determine fatigue life. The emphasis is put into the link between scientific knowledge and practical applications, including solved problems of the main topics, such as stress and strain calculation. Mohr's Circle, yield criteria, fracture mechanics, fatigue and creep life prediction. The volume covers both the original findings in the field of mechanical behavior of engineering materials, and the most recent and widely accepted theories and techniques applied to this topic. At the beginning of some selected topics that by the author's judgement are transcendental for this field of study, the prime references are given, as well as a brief biographical semblance of those who were the pioneers or original contributors. Finally, the intention of this book is to be a textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses on Mechanical Behavior, Mechanical Metallurgy and Materials Science, as well as a consulting and/or training material for practicing engineers in industry that deal with mechanical design, materials selection, material processing, structural integrity assessment, and for researchers that incursion for the first time in the topics covered in this book.