This book investigates the expanding involvement of China in security cooperation in Africa. Drawing on leading and emerging scholars in the field, the volume uses a combination of analytical insights and case studies to unpack the complexity of security challenges confronting China and the continent. It interrogates how security considerations impact upon the growing economic and social links China has developed with African states.

The Inclusion-Based Boundary Element Method (iBEM) is an innovative numerical method for the study of the multi-physical and mechanical behaviour of composite materials, linear elasticity, potential flow or Stokes fluid dynamics. It combines the basic ideas of Eshelby's Equivalent Inclusion Method (EIM) in classic micromechanics and the Boundary Element Method (BEM) in computational mechanics. The book starts by explaining the application and extension of the EIM from elastic problems to the Stokes fluid, and potential flow problems for a multiphase material system in the infinite domain. It also shows how switching the Green's function for infinite domain solutions to semi-infinite domain solutions allows this method to solve semi-infinite domain problems. A thorough examination of particle-particle interaction and particle-boundary interaction exposes the limitation of the classic micromechanics based on Eshelby's solution for one particle embedded in the infinite domain, and demonstrates the necessity to consider the particle interactions and boundary effects for a composite containing a fairly high volume fraction of the dispersed materials. Starting by covering the fundamentals required to understand the method and going on to describe everything needed to apply it to a variety of practical contexts, this book is the ideal guide to this innovative numerical method for students, researchers, and engineers.

Modelling and simulation (M&S) based systems engineering (MSBSE) is the extension of MBSE, which enhances the value of MBSE and the ability of digitally evaluating and optimizing the whole system through comprehensive applications of M&S technologies. This book puts together the recent research in MSBSE, and hopefully this will provide the researchers and engineers with reference cases in M&S technologies to support the R&D of complex products and systems.

The proceedings cover the latest research in advanced materials such as design, synthesis and development of new materials, processing technology for new materials, and modeling and simulation of materials processing.