Foundations of Geometric Continuum Mechanics

This monograph presents the geometric foundations of continuum mechanics. An emphasis is placed on increasing the generality and elegance of the theory by scrutinizing the relationship between the physical aspects and the mathematical notions used in its formulation. The theory of uniform fluxes in affine spaces is covered first, followed by the smooth theory on differentiable manifolds, and ends with the non-smooth global theory. Because continuum mechanics provides the theoretical foundations for disciplines like fluid dynamics and stress analysis, the author's extension of the theory will enable researchers to better describe the mechanics of modern materials and biological tissues. The global approach to continuum mechanics also enables the formulation and solutions of practical optimization problems. Foundations of Geometric Continuum Mechanics will be an invaluable resource for researchers in the area, particularly mathematicians, physicists, and engineers interested in the foundational notions of continuum mechanics.

Autorentext

Reuven Segev is the H. Greenhill Chair Professor of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel. His research focuses on the applications of geometrical and analytical methods in mechanics in general and the mechanics of continuous media, in particular. He also serves as the President of the Israeli Society for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Geometric Mechanics.