The symposiumwas motivatedby theincreasing need for modelling of material behaviourundervarious mechan icalconditions. This need is driven by the evolut ion ofcomputer capac ityand the resulting ability for engineers and scien tiststo address complexproblems . Reliable models formaterialbehaviour, including accurate numericalvalues of parameters ,are necessary for a continued beneficial development ofthe computational side of solid mechanics .High rate plasticity ,thermally assisted creep and phasetransformationsare only a fewexamplesof areas where more accurate modelsare needed. Experiments are necessary for the establishment ofmodels and parameters , and modified versionsof conventional test methods can make important contributions . Also modern optical methodsoffer a highpotentialfor futureexperimental development. Numerical simulations ofexperiments and so-called inverse modelling arealso frequentlyused techniques. The aim of the symposium was to bring together researchers with an interest in the areaofexperimental and computational aspects ofmaterial modelling for exchange and discussionofpromising methodsandresults. Abisko,a national park in the Swedish mountain district about 200 km north of the arctic circle and about one hourve dri from the airport ofKiruna,was chosen for the symposium. The tourist hotel in the park , overlookinga beautiful lake , offered a suitablevenue for the symposium. This environment with tracks for short walks (and long hikes),goals for small excursions and a hotel with restaurant and bar ve the ga delegatesmany opportunitiesto meet , socialiseand discuss during breaks and evenings.

In this book a new phenomenological approach to brittle medium fracture initiation under shock pulses is developped. It provides an opportunity to estimate fracture of media with and without macrodefects. A qualitative explanation is thus obtained for a number of principally important effects of high-speed dynamic fracture that cannot be clarified within the framework of previous approaches. It is possible to apply this new strategy to resolve applied problems of disintegration, erosion, and dynamic strength determination of structural materials. Specialists can use the methods described to determine critical characteristics of dynamic strength and optimal effective fracture conditions for rigid bodies. This book can also be used as a special educational course on deformation of materials and constructions, and fracture mechanics.

The symposiumwas motivatedby theincreasing need for modelling of material behaviourundervarious mechan icalconditions. This need is driven by the evolut ion ofcomputer capac ityand the resulting ability for engineers and scien tiststo address complexproblems . Reliable models formaterialbehaviour, including accurate numericalvalues of parameters ,are necessary for a continued beneficial development ofthe computational side of solid mechanics .High rate plasticity ,thermally assisted creep and phasetransformationsare only a fewexamplesof areas where more accurate modelsare needed. Experiments are necessary for the establishment ofmodels and parameters , and modified versionsof conventional test methods can make important contributions . Also modern optical methodsoffer a highpotentialfor futureexperimental development. Numerical simulations ofexperiments and so-called inverse modelling arealso frequentlyused techniques. The aim of the symposium was to bring together researchers with an interest in the areaofexperimental and computational aspects ofmaterial modelling for exchange and discussionofpromising methodsandresults. Abisko,a national park in the Swedish mountain district about 200 km north of the arctic circle and about one hourve dri from the airport ofKiruna,was chosen for the symposium. The tourist hotel in the park , overlookinga beautiful lake , offered a suitablevenue for the symposium. This environment with tracks for short walks (and long hikes),goals for small excursions and a hotel with restaurant and bar ve the ga delegatesmany opportunitiesto meet , socialiseand discuss during breaks and evenings.

In this book, a new phenomenological approach to brittle medium fractu re initiation under shock pulses is developed. It provides an opportun ity to estimate fracture of media with and without macrodefects. A qua litative explanation is thus obtained for a number of principally impo rtant effects of high-speed dynamic fracture that cannot be clarified within the framework of previous approaches. It is possible to apply t his new strategy to resolve applied problems of disintegration, erosio n, and dynamic strength determination of structural materials. Special ists can use the methods described to determine critical characteristi cs of dynamic strength and optimal effective fracture conditions for r igid bodies. This book can also be used as a special educational cours e on deformation of materials and constructions, and fracture mechanic s.