The essential aim of the present book is to consider a wide set of problems arising in the mathematical modelling of mechanical systems under unilateral constraints. In these investigations elastic and non-elastic deformations, friction and adhesion phenomena are taken into account. All the necessary mathematical tools are given: local boundary value problem formulations, construction of variational equations and inequalities, and the transition to minimization problems, existence and uniqueness theorems, and variational transformations (Friedrichs and Young-Fenchel-Moreau) to dual and saddle-point search problems. Important new results concern contact problems with friction. The Coulomb friction law and some others are considered, in which relative sliding velocities appear.

This book introduces the role of Rapid Prototyping Techniques within the product development phase. It deals with the concept, origin, and working cycle of Rapid Prototyping Processes with emphasis on the applications. Apart from elaboration of engineering and non-engineering applications, it highlights recent applications like Bio-Medical Models for Surgical Planning, Molecular Models, Architectural Models, Sculptured Models, Psycho-Analysis Models. Special emphasis has been provided to the technique of generating human organs from live cells/tissues of the same human named 3D BIO PRINTERS. As the Rapid Prototyping Techniques are for tailor made products and not for mass manufacturing hence the book also elaborates on the mass manufacturing of rapid prototyped products. This includes casting and rapid tooling. The book concludes with Reverse Engineering and the role played by Rapid Prototyping Techniques towards the same. With globalization of market and advances in science and technology, the life span of products has shortened considerably. For early realization of products and short development period, engineers and researchers are constantly working together for more and more efficient and effective solutions. The most effective solution identified has been usage of computers in both designing and manufacturing. This gave birth to the nomenclatures CAD (Computer Aided Designing) and CAM (Computer aided Manufacturing). This was the initiation that ensured short product development and realization period. Researchers coined the concept as Rapid Prototyping. In contrast to Prototyping, Rapid prototyping is a group of techniques used to quickly fabricate a scale model of a physical part or assembly using three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) data. Construction of the part or assembly is usually done using 3D printing or "additive or subtractive layer manufacturing" technology. The first methods for rapid prototyping became available in the late 1980s and were used to produce models and prototype parts. Today, they are used for a wide range of applications and are used to manufacture production-quality parts in relatively small numbers if desired without the typical unfavorable short-run economics. This economy has encouraged online service bureaus for early product realization or physical products for actual testing. This book is expected to contain Seven Chapters. Chapter 1 would explain product life cycle and the product development phase in the same, introducing role of Rapid Prototyping Techniques in Product development phase. Chapter 2 would deals with the concept, origin and working cycle of Rapid Prototyping Processes. Chapter 3 would concentrates on the applications of Rapid Prototyping Technology. Apart from elaboration of engineering and non-engineering applications, it also elaborates on recent applications like Bio-Medical Models for Surgical Planning, Molecular Models, Architectural Models, Sculptured Models, Psycho-Analysis Models etc. Chapter 4 would introduce the various Rapid Prototyping systems available worldwide. The chapter also introduces the technique of generating human organs from live cells/tissues of the same human named 3D BIO PRINTERS hence ensuring low rejection rate by human body. As the Rapid Prototyping Techniques are for tailor made products and not for mass manufacturing hence Chapter 5 would elaborates on the mass manufacturing of rapid prototyped products. This includes Casting and Rapid Tooling. Chapter 6 would deal with Reverse Engineering and the role played by Rapid Prototyping Techniques towards the same. As the product realization is primarily dependent on various softwares which are required to be understood for better accuracy so the concluding chapter of the book i.e. Chapter 7 would explain some software associated with the various techniques.

During its 2004 meeting in Warsaw the General Assembly of the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) decided to support a proposal of the Georgian National Committee to hold in Tbilisi (Georgia), on April 23-27, 2007, the IUTAM Symposium on the Relation of Shell, Plate, Beam, and 3D Models, dedicated to the Centenary of Ilia Vekua. The sci- ti?c organization was entrusted to an international committee consisting of Philipppe G. Ciarlet (Hong Kong), the late Anatoly Gerasimovich Gorshkov (Russia),JornHansen(Canada),GeorgeV.Jaiani(Georgia,Chairman),Re- hold Kienzler (Germany), Herbert A. Mang (Austria), Paolo Podio-Guidugli (Italy), and Gangan Prathap (India). The main topics to be included in the scienti?c programme were c- sen to be: hierarchical, re?ned mathematical and technical models of shells, plates, and beams; relation of 2D and 1D models to 3D linear, non-linear and physical models; junction problems. The main aim of the symposium was to thoroughly discuss the relations of shell, plate, and beam models to the 3D physicalmodels.Inparticular,peculiaritiesofcuspedshells,plates,andbeams were to be emphasized and special attention paid to junction, multibody and ? uid-elastic shell (plate, beam) interaction problems, and their applications. The expected contributions of the invited participants were anticipated to be theoretical, practical, and numerical in character.

Accepted as the standard reference work on modern pneumatic and compressed air engineering, the new edition of this handbook has been completely revised, extended and updated to provide essential up-to-date reference material for engineers, designers, consultants and users of fluid systems.

Extensively revised and thoroughly updated, this popular text de-emphasizes high level mathematics in favor of effective, accurate modeling. Real-world examples amplify the theory and show how to use derived equations to model physical problems. Exercises that parallel the examples build readers' confidence and prepare them to confront the more complex situations they encounter as professionals.

The significant advances witnessed over the last years in the broad field of linguistic variation testify to a growing convergence between sociolinguistic approaches and the somewhat older historical and comparative research traditions. Particularly within cognitive and functional linguistics, the evolution towards a maximally dynamic approach to language goes hand in hand with a renewed interest in corpus research and quantitative methods of analysis. Many researchers feel that only in this way one can do justice to the complex interaction of forces and factors involved in linguistic variability, both synchronically and diachronically. The contributions to the present volume illustrate the ongoing evolution of the field. By bringing together a series of analyses that rely on extensive corpuses to shed light on sociolinguistic, historical, and comparative forms of variation, the volume highlights the interaction between these subfields. Most of the contributions go back to talks presented at the meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europaea held in Leuven in 2001. The volume starts with a global typological view on the sociolinguistic landscape of Europe offered by Peter Auer. It is followed by a methodological proposal for measuring phonetic similarity between dialects designed by Paul Heggarty, April McMahon, and Robert McMahon. Various papers deal with specific phenomena of socially and conceptually driven variation within a single language. For Dutch, Jose Tummers, Dirk Speelman, and Dirk Geeraerts analyze inflectional variation in Belgian and Netherlandic Dutch, Reinhild Vandekerckhove focuses on interdialectal convergence between West-Flemish urban dialects, and Arjan van Leuvensteijn studies competing forms of address in the 17th century Dutch standard variety. The cultural and conceptual dimension is also present in the diachronic lexicosemantic explorations presented by Heli Tissari, Clara Molina, and Caroline Gevaert for English expressions referring to the experiential domains of love, sorrow and anger, respectively: the history of words is systematically linked up with the images they convey and the evolving conceptualizations they reveal. The papers by Heide Wegener and by Marcin Kilarski and Grzegorz Krynicki constitute a plea against arbitrariness of alternations at the level of nominal morphology: dealing with marked plural forms in German, and with gender assignment to English loanwords in the Scandinavian languages, respectively, their distributional accounts bring into the picture a variety of motivating factors. The four cross-linguistic studies that close the volume focus on the differing ways in which even closely related languages exploit parallel morphosyntactic patterns. They share the same methodological concern for combining rigorous parametrization and quantification with conceptual and discourse-functional explanations. While Griet Beheydt and Katleen Van den Steen confront the use of formally defined competing constructions in two Germanic and two Romance languages, respectively, Torsten Leuschner as well as Gisela Harras and Kirsten Proost analyze how a particular speaker's attitude is expressed differently in various Germanic languages.

While the stability theory for systems with bilateral constraints is a well-established field, this monograph represents a systematic study of mechanical systems with unilateral constraints, such as unilateral contact, impact and friction. Such unilateral constraints give rise to non-smooth dynamical models for which stability theory is developed in this work. The book will be of interest to those working in the field of non-smooth mechanics and dynamics.

This eagerly awaited second edition of Heinz Heisler's Advanced Vehicle Technology is a comprehensive and thorough description of vehice bodies and components.
The second edition has been rigorously updated to provide additional material on subjects such as antilock braking, vehicle aerodynamics, tire tread design advances, electronically controlled anti-vibration engine mountings and transport refrigeration. Around 100 new diagrams have been included to complement the text.
Advanced Vehicle Technology 2nd edition's depth of coverage, detailed illustrations and fluent and precise style are the outstanding features in this high quality student text.
More quality artwork has been added to enhance and add value to the explanation given in the text.
16 key topics have been updated to bring this 2nd edition in line with current technology.
Fully international in scope, reflecting the nature of contemporary vehicle engineering.

The articles in this book present advanced soft methods related to genetic and evolutionary algorithms, immune systems, formulation of deterministic neural networks and Bayesian NN. Many attention is paid to hybrid systems for inverse analysis fusing soft methods and the finite element method. Numerical efficiency of these soft methods is illustrated on the analysis and design of complex engineering structures.

Recent developments in information processing systems have driven the advancement of numerical simulations in engineering. New models and simulations enable better solutions for problem-solving and overall process improvement. Advanced Numerical Simulations in Mechanical Engineering is a pivotal reference source for the latest research findings on advanced modelling and simulation method adopted in mechanical and mechatronics engineering. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant areas such as fuzzy logic controllers, finite element analysis, and analytical models, this publication is an ideal resource for students, professional engineers, and researchers interested in the application of numerical simulations in mechanical engineering.

Direct injection spark-ignition engines are becoming increasingly important, and their potential is still to be fully exploited. Increased power and torque coupled with further reductions in fuel consumption and emissions will be the clear trend for future developments. From today's perspective, the key technologies driving this development will be new fuel injection and combustion processes. The book presents the latest developments, illustrates and evaluates engine concepts such as downsizing and describes the requirements that have to be met by materials and operating fluids. The outlook at the end of the book discusses whether future spark-ignition engines will achieve the same level as diesel engines.

This is the second book edited with a selection of papers from the two-yearly THIESEL Conference on Thermo- and Fluid Dynamic Processes in Diesel Engines, organised by CMT-Mvtores Termicos of the Universidad Po/itecnica de Valencia, Spain. This volume includes versions of papers selected from those presented at the THIESEL 2002 Conference th held on lOth to 13 September 2002. We hope it will be the second volume of a long series reflecting the quality of the THIESEL Conference. This year, the papers are grouped in six main thematic areas: State of the Art and Prospective, Injection Systems and Spray Formation, Combustion and Emissions, Engine Modelling, Alternative Combustion Concepts and Experimental Techniques. The actual conference covered a wider scope of topics, including Air Management and Fuels for Diesel Engines and a couple of papers included reflect this variety. However, the selection of papers published here represents the most current preoccupations of Diesel engine designers, namely how to improve the combustion process using new injection strategies and alternative concepts such as the Homogeneous Charge Combustion Ignition.

Ready access to computers has de?ned a new era in teaching and learning. The opportunity to extend the subject matter of traditional science and engineering curricula into the realm of scienti?c computing has become not only desirable, but also necessary. Thanks to portability and low overhead and operating cost, experimentation by numerical simulation has become a viable substitute, and occasionally the only alternative, to physical experimentation. The new framework has necessitated the writing of texts and monographs from a modern perspective that incorporates numerical and computer progr- ming aspects as an integral part of the discourse. Under this modern directive, methods, concepts, and ideas are presented in a uni?ed fashion that motivates and underlines the urgency of the new elements, but neither compromises nor oversimpli?es the rigor of the classical approach. Interfacing fundamental concepts and practical methods of scienti?c c- puting can be implemented on di?erent levels. In one approach, theory and implementation are kept complementary and presented in a sequential fashion. In another approach, the coupling involves deriving computational methods and simulation algorithms, and translating equations into computer code - structions immediately following problem formulations. Seamlessly interjecting methods of scienti?c computing in the traditional discourse o?ers a powerful venue for developing analytical skills and obtaining physical insight.

This book is an introduction to automotive engineering, to give freshmen ideas about this technology. The text is subdivided in parts that cover all facets of the automobile, including legal and economic aspects related to industry and products, product configuration and fabrication processes, historic evolution and future developments.

The first part describes how motor vehicles were invented and evolved into the present product in more than 100 years of development. The purpose is not only to supply an historical perspective, but also to introduce and discuss the many solutions that were applied (and could be applied again) to solve the same basic problems of vehicle engineering. This part also briefly describes the evolution of automotive technologies and market, including production and development processes.

The second part deals with the description and function analysis of all car subsystems, such as:

. vehicle body,

. chassis, including wheels, suspensions, brakes and steering mechanisms,

. diesel and gasoline engines,

. electric motors, batteries, fuel cells, hybrid propulsion systems,

. driveline, including manual and automatic gearboxes.

This part addresses also many non-technical issues that influence vehicle design and production, such as social and economic impact of vehicles, market, regulations, particularly on pollution and safety.

In spite of the difficulty in forecasting the paths that will be taken by automotive technology, the third part tries to open a window on the future. It is not meant to make predictions that are likely to be wrong, but to discuss the trends of automotive research and innovation and to see the possible paths that may be taken to solve the many problems that are at present open or we can expect for the future.

The book is completed by two appendices about the contribution of computers in designing cars, particularly the car body and outlining fundamentals of vehicle mechanics, including aerodynamics, longitudinal (acceleration and braking) and transversal (path control) motion.

This book collects papers selected by an international program committee for presentation at the 8th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems. The papers present state of the art research advances in the field of distributed robotics. What makes this book distinctive is the emphasis on using multiple robots and on making them autonomous, as opposed to being teleoperated. Novel algorithms, system architectures, technologies, and numerous applications are covered.

The unique focus of the book is the close symbiotic relationship between design and manufacture. It covers a large number of actual issues in the field by authors from the main research groups involved in developing methods, models and tools for the improvement of design and manufacturing processes in companies. It presents a selection of thirty-three papers ensuing from the fifth International Conference on Integrated Design and Manufacturing in Mechanical Engineering, held at the University of Bath, UK, in April 2004.

The contributions are divided in the following sections: two keynotes presenting the general synergies and relationships between the design and manufacturing processes through the concepts of production knowledge and integration; design strategies and methodologies, dealing with the critical element of knowledge in design and manufacturing processes and the methods with which designing can be undertaken collaboratively in an integrated manner; integrated design of manufacturing processes, which aim is to ensure a high quality product meeting all requirements, rapidly and at optimum cost; and design tools for particular applications in which texts optimising local decision have been grouped.

The book is of interest to academics, students and practitioners specialising in design and manufacturing issues in mechanical engineering, who will find it of the greatest interest to compare various points of view within the fields broached throughout the Conference. This volume is recommended as a reference textbook for all researchers in this field. It will give teachning staff confronted with training methodologies in integrated design and production a toolto assess the scope of the development prospects in an extremely wide ranging field.

Micromechanisms of Fracture and Fatigue forms the culmination of 20 years of research in the field of fatigue and fracture. It discusses a range of topics and comments on the state of the art for each. The first part is devoted to models of deformation and fracture of perfect crystals. Using various atomistic methods, the theoretical strength of solids under simple and complex loading is calculated for a wide range of elements and compounds, and compared with experimental data. The connection between the onset of local plasticity in nanoindentation tests and the ideal shear strength is analysed using a multi-scale approach. Moreover, the nature of intrinsic brittleness or ductility of perfect crystal lattices is demonstrated by the coupling of atomistic and mesoscopic approaches, and compared with brittle/ductile behaviour of engineering materials. The second part addresses extrinsic sources of fracture toughness of engineering materials, related to their microstructure and microstructurally-induced crack tortuosity. Micromechanisms of ductile fracture are also described, in relation to the fracture strain of materials. Results of multilevel modelling, including statistical aspects of microstructure, are used to explain remarkable phenomena discovered in experiments. In the third part of the book, basic micromechanisms of fatigue cracks propagation under uniaxial and multiaxial loading are discussed on the basis of the unified mesoscopic model of crack tip shielding and closure, taking both microstructure and statistical effects into account. Applications to failure analysis are also outlined, and an attempt is made to distinguish intrinsic and extrinsic sources of materials resistance to fracture. Micromechanisms of Fracture and Fatigue provides scientists, researchers and postgraduate students with not only a deep insight into basic micromechanisms of fracture behaviour of materials, but also a number of engineering applications.

These Proceedings contain the papers presented at the 1stAsian Pacific Congress on "Computational Mechanics" held in Sydney, on 20-23 November 2001.
The theme of the first Congress of the Asian-Pacific Association for Computational Mechanics in the new millennium is "New Frontiers for the New Millennium." The papers cover such new frontiers as micromechanics, contact mechanics, environmental geomechanics, chemo-thermo-mechanics, inverse techniques, homogenization, meshless methods, smart materials/smart structures and graphic visualization, besides the general topics related to the application of finite element and boundary element methods in structural mechanics, fluid mechanics, geomechanics and biomechanics.

One of the next challenges in vehicular technology field is to improve drastically the road safety. Current developments are focusing on both vehicle platform and diverse assistance systems. This book presents a new engineering approach based on lean vehicle architecture ready for the drive-by-wire technology.

Based on a cognitive functionality split, execution and command levels are detailed. The execution level centralized over the stability control performs the motion vector coming from the command level. At this level the driver generates a motion vector which is continuously monitored by a virtual co-pilot. The integration of assistance systems in a safety relevant multi-agent system is presented here to provide first an adequate feedback to the driver to let him recover a dangerous situation. Robust strategies are also presented for the intervention phase once the command vehicle has to be optimized to stay within the safety envelope.

This book covers various topics regarding the design of compliant mechanisms using topology optimization that have attracted a great deal of attention in recent decades. After comprehensively describing state-of-the-art methods for designing compliant mechanisms, it provides a new topology optimization method for finding new flexure hinges. It then presents several attempts to obtain distributed compliant mechanisms using the topology optimization method. Further, it discusses a Jacobian-based topology optimization method for compliant parallel mechanisms, and introduces readers to the topology optimization of compliant mechanisms, taking into account geometrical nonlinearity and reliability. Providing a systematic method for topology optimization of flexure hinges, which are essential for designing compliant mechanisms, the book offers a valuable resource for all readers who are interested in designing compliant mechanism-based positioning stages. In addition, the methods for solving the de facto hinges in topology optimized compliant mechanisms will benefit all engineers seeking to design micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) structures.

A systematic treatment of the thermal and elastic deformation of bearings, seals, and other machine elements under a wide variety of conditions, with particular emphasis on failure mechanisms when high speeds or loads cause significant frictional heating and on methods for predicting and avoiding such failures. Intended for designers and mechanical engineers responsible for high-performance machinery, the book is unique in discussing instabilities driven by frictional heating and thermal expansion and in developing a theoretical approach to engineering design in those cases in which the thermal problems are pivotal. It thus provides a guide as to what is important in the development of high-performance engineering systems. References to recent publications, new material that fill gaps in the literature, a consistent nomenclature, and a large number of worked examples make this a useful text and reference for both researchers and practising engineers.

There is a growing number of applications that require fast-rotating machines; motivation for this thesis comes from a project in which downsized spindles for micro-machining have been researched. The thesis focuses on analysis and design of high-speed PM machines and uses a practical design of a high-speed spindle drive as a test case. Phenomena, both mechanical and electromagnetic, that take precedence in high-speed permanent magnet machines are identified and systematized. The thesis identifies inherent speed limits of permanent magnet machines and correlates those limits with the basic parameters of the machines. The analytical expression of the limiting quantities does not only impose solid constraints on the machine design, but also creates the way for design optimization leading to the maximum mechanical and/or electromagnetic utilization of the machine. The models and electric-drive concepts developed in the thesis are evaluated in a practical setup.

Featuring easy-to-understand explanations of theory and underlying mathematics principles, this book provides readers with a complete introduction to fluid power, including hydraulics and pneumatics. The differences and similarities between hydraulics and pneumatics are identified, allowing readers to leverage their knowledge en route to new skills. Detailed color illustrations, photographs, and color-enhanced schematics are used effectively to add clarity to discussion of the construction and function of components. A dedicated section on component specifications is featured in each chapter, while realistic numbers are used and problems are stated in such a way as to develop practical system design skills. Knowledge of college-level algebra is assumed, but no trigonometry or calculus is required, making this book ideal for the technologist. Nomenclature, metric prefixes and conversion factors, equations, and graphic symbols are located in handy appendices for use by readers as they progress through the book. An introduction to the industry, plus a comprehensive glossary, is also included for the benefit of those who are just beginning their study of fluid power. Benefits: * Color is used in technical illustrations throughout the book, improving the readers' ability to distinguish between the parts that make up a component. * Schematics feature flow paths traced in color, so that readers can learn to read schematics while gaining an understanding of basic circuit operations. * Equations and examples for US Customary and SI (Metric) units are given separately, providing the flexibility to cover both systems or place more emphasis on one vs. the other. * Component specifications sections are featured in each chapter, offering insight into how components are evaluated and selected from manufacturers' catalogs. * Chapters on components are designed to stand-alone and may be covered in any order, so that they correspond to laboratory ex

This book expounds on progress made over the last 35 years in the theory, synthesis, and application of triboluminescence for creating smart structures. It presents in detail the research into utilization of the triboluminescent properties of certain crystals as new sensor systems for smart engineering structures, as well as triboluminescence-based sensor systems that have the potential to enable wireless, in-situ, real time and distributed (WIRD) structural health monitoring of composite structures. The sensor component of any structural health monitoring (SHM) technology - measures the effects of the external load/event and provides the necessary inputs for appropriate preventive/corrective action to be taken in a smart structure - sits at the heart of such a system. This volume explores advances in materials properties and structural behavior underlying creation of smart composite structures and sensor systems for structural health monitoring of critical engineering structures, such as bridges, aircrafts, and wind blades.