This book provides readers with an incisive look at cutting-edge peridynamic modeling methods, numerical techniques, their applications, and potential future directions for the field. It starts with an introductory chapter authored by Stewart Silling, who originally developed peridynamics. It then looks at new concepts in the field, with chapters covering dual-horizon peridynamics, peridynamics for axisymmetric analysis, beam and plate models in peridynamics, coupled peridynamics and XFEM, peridynamics for dynamic fracture modeling, and more. From there, it segues into coverage of cutting-edge applications of peridynamics, exploring its biological applications, modeling at the nanoscale, peridynamics for composites delamination and damage in ceramics, and more, concluding with a chapter on the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in peridynamics.

Among all aspects of engineering, design is the most important step in developing a new product. A systematic approach to managing design issues can only be accomplished by applying mathematical optimization methods. Furthermore, due to the practical issues in engineering problems, there are limitations in using traditional methods. As such, stochastic optimization methods such as differential evolution, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms are preferable in finding solutions in design optimization problems. This book reviews mechanical engineering design optimization using stochastic methods. It introduces students and design engineers to practical aspects of complicated mathematical optimization procedures, and outlines steps for wide range of selected engineering design problems. It shows how engineering structures are systematically designed. Many new engineering design applications based on stochastic optimization techniques in automotive, energy, military, naval, manufacturing process and fluids-heat transfer, are described in the book. For each design optimization problem described, background is provided for understanding the solutions. There are very few books on optimization that include engineering applications. They cover limited applications, and that too of well-known design problems of advanced and niche nature. Common problems are hardly addressed. Thus, the subject has remained fairly theoretical. To overcome this, each chapter in this book is contributed by at least one academic and one industrial expert researcher.

Among all aspects of engineering, design is the most important step in developing a new product. A systematic approach to managing design issues can only be accomplished by applying mathematical optimization methods. Furthermore, due to the practical issues in engineering problems, there are limitations in using traditional methods. As such, stochastic optimization methods such as differential evolution, simulated annealing, and genetic algorithms are preferable in finding solutions in design optimization problems. This book reviews mechanical engineering design optimization using stochastic methods. It introduces students and design engineers to practical aspects of complicated mathematical optimization procedures, and outlines steps for wide range of selected engineering design problems. It shows how engineering structures are systematically designed. Many new engineering design applications based on stochastic optimization techniques in automotive, energy, military, naval, manufacturing process and fluids-heat transfer, are described in the book. For each design optimization problem described, background is provided for understanding the solutions. There are very few books on optimization that include engineering applications. They cover limited applications, and that too of well-known design problems of advanced and niche nature. Common problems are hardly addressed. Thus, the subject has remained fairly theoretical. To overcome this, each chapter in this book is contributed by at least one academic and one industrial expert researcher.