This edited work covers piezoelectric materials in the form of beams, plates, shells, and other structural components in modern devices and structures. Applications are frequency control and detection functions in resonators, sensors, actuators, oscillations, and other smart and intelligent structures. The products and technology are with us in our daily life through computers and communication devices. The contributions cover novel methods for the analysis of piezoelectric structures including wave propagation, high frequency vibration, material characterization, and optimization of structures. Understanding of these methods is increasingly important in the design and modelling of next generation devices and micro-structures with piezoelectric elements and effects.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the theory and applications of the mechanics of transversely isotropic elastic materials. There are many reasons why it should be written. First, the theory of transversely isotropic elastic materials is an important branch of applied mathematics and engineering science; but because of the difficulties caused by anisotropy, the mathematical treatments and descriptions of individual problems have been scattered throughout the technical literature. This often hinders further development and applications. Hence, a text that can present the theory and solution methodology uniformly is necessary. Secondly, with the rapid development of modern technologies, the theory of transversely isotropic elasticity has become increasingly important. In addition to the fields with which the theory has traditionally been associated, such as civil engineering and materials engineering, many emerging technologies have demanded the development of transversely isotropic elasticity. Some immediate examples are thin film technology, piezoelectric technology, functionally gradient materials technology and those involving transversely isotropic and layered microstructures, such as multi-layer systems and tribology mechanics of magnetic recording devices. Thus a unified mathematical treatment and presentation of solution methods for a wide range of mechanics models are of primary importance to both technological and economic progress.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the theory and applications of the mechanics of transversely isotropic elastic materials. There are many reasons why it should be written. First, the theory of transversely isotropic elastic materials is an important branch of applied mathematics and engineering science; but because of the difficulties caused by anisotropy, the mathematical treatments and descriptions of individual problems have been scattered throughout the technical literature. This often hinders further development and applications. Hence, a text that can present the theory and solution methodology uniformly is necessary. Secondly, with the rapid development of modern technologies, the theory of transversely isotropic elasticity has become increasingly important. In addition to the fields with which the theory has traditionally been associated, such as civil engineering and materials engineering, many emerging technologies have demanded the development of transversely isotropic elasticity. Some immediate examples are thin film technology, piezoelectric technology, functionally gradient materials technology and those involving transversely isotropic and layered microstructures, such as multi-layer systems and tribology mechanics of magnetic recording devices. Thus a unified mathematical treatment and presentation of solution methods for a wide range of mechanics models are of primary importance to both technological and economic progress.

This book reviews research results in the field of mechanics research. Also discussed herein are the most important areas in the mechanics of functionally graded materials and structures, including the analytical and the semi-analytical solutions of functionally graded beams, plates and shells as well as their simplified theories, fracture analysis of functionally graded materials, a micro-element method for the macro-micro scale analysis and the optimal design of functionally graded structures.

This book presents basic theory on static Green's functions in general anisotropic magnetoelectroelastic media including detailed derivations based on the complex variable method, potential method, and integral transforms. Green's functions corresponding to the reduced cases are also presented including those in anisotropic and transversely isotropic piezoelectric and piezomagnetic media, and in purely anisotropic elastic, transversely isotropic elastic and isotropic elastic media. Problems include those in three-dimensional, (two-dimensional) infinite, half, and biomaterial spaces (planes). While the emphasis is on the Green's functions related to the line and point force, those corresponding to the important line and point dislocation are also provided and discussed. This book provides a comprehensive derivation and collection of the Green's functions in the concerned media, and as such, it is an ideal reference book for researchers and engineers, and a textbook for both students in engineering and applied mathematics.