This monograph covers new variational and projection methods to study the dynamics within solid structures. To cope with the underlying initial-boundary value problems, the method of integrodifferential relations is employed. Applications and examples in physics, mechanics and control engineering range from natural vibrations or forced motions of elastic and viscoelastic bodies to heat and mass transfer processes. Contents Generalized formulations of parabolic and hyperbolic problems Variational principles in linear elasticity Variational statements in structural mechanics Ritz method for initial-boundary value problems Variational and projection techniques with semi-discretization Integrodifferential approach to eigenvalue problems Spatial vibrations of elastic beams with convex cross-sections Double minimization in optimal control problems Semi-discrete approximations in inverse dynamic problems Modeling and control in mechatronics

Deformations of elastic bodies are encountered in many areas in science, engineering and technology. In the last decades, various numerical approaches using the finite element technique have been developed, but many are not adequate to address the full complexity. This work treats the elasticity of deformed bodies, including the resulting interior stresses and displacements. Other than comparable books, this work also takes into account that some of constitutive relations can be considered in a weak form. To discuss this problem properly, the method of integrodifferential relations is used, and an advanced numerical technique for stress-strain analysis is presented and evaluated using various discretization techniques. The methods presented in this book are of importance for almost all elasticity problems in materials science and mechanical engineering.