CONTINUUM MECHANICS for ENGINEERS

Preface to Second Edition
It is fitting to start this, the preface to our second edition, by thanking all of
those who used the text over the last six years. Thanks also to those of you
who have inquired about this revised and expanded version. We hope that
you find this edition as helpful as the first to introduce seniors or graduate
students to continuum mechanics.
The second edition, like its predecessor, is an outgrowth of teaching continuum
mechanics to first- or second-year graduate students. Since my father
is now fully retired, the course is being taught to students whose final degree
will most likely be a Masters at Kettering University. A substantial percentage
of these students are working in industry, or have worked in industry,
when they take this class. Because of this, the course has to provide the students
with the fundamentals of continuum mechanics and demonstrate its
applications.
Very often, students are interested in using sophisticated simulation programs
that use nonlinear kinematics and a variety of constitutive relationships.
Additions to the second edition have been made with these needs in
mind. A student who masters its contents should have the mechanics foundation
necessary to be a skilled user of today’s advanced design tools such as
nonlinear, explicit finite elements. Of course, students need to augment the
mechanics foundation provided herein with rigorous finite element training.
Major highlights of the second edition include two new chapters, as well as
significant expansion of two other chapters. First, Chapter Five,
Fundamental Laws and Equations, was expanded to add material regarding
constitutive equation development. This includes material on the second law
of thermodynamics and invariance with respect to restrictions on constitutive
equations. The first edition applications chapter covering elasticity and
fluids has been split into two separate chapters. Elasticity coverage has been
expanded by adding sections on Airy stress functions, torsion of noncircular
cross sections, and three-dimensional solutions. A chapter on nonlinear
elasticity has been added to give students a molecular and phenomenological
introduction to rubber-like materials. Finally, a chapter introducing students
to linear viscoelasticity is given since many important modern polymer
applications involve some sort of rate dependent material response.
It is not easy singling out certain people in order to acknowledge their help
while not citing others; however, a few individuals should be thanked.
Ms. Sheri Burton was instrumental in preparation of the second edition
manuscript. We wish to acknowledge the many useful suggestions by users of
the previous edition, especially Prof. Morteza M. Mehrabadi, Tulane University,
for his detailed comments. Thanks also go to Prof. Charles Davis, Kettering