Qualitative Analysis of Nonsmooth Dynamics

Alain Leger received his PhDs in Mathematics and Sciences from the University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris. He held positions as research engineer and senior research at EDF and CNRS respectively. He is the co-manager of the International Scientific Coordination Network of 'Wave Propagation in Complex Media'. His research areas lie in the mechanics of solids and structure, unilateral problems within the dynamics of discrete systems, bifurication theory and wave propagation in complex media. Elaine Pratt obtained her PhD in Numerical Analysis in 1979 from the University of Provence. She has held the position of Senior Lecturer at the Univeristy of Provence and the University Aix-Marseille. Her research interests include mathematical and numerical analysis applied to mechanical problems, the study of contact friction and non-smooth dynamics of discrete mechanical systems.

"The book is likely to be of greatest interest and use to researchers and graduate students working with friction related problems. Indeed, the clarity of the writing is likely to provide inspiration for students and researchers to take the state-of-the-art of the subject matter even further." --Zentralblatt MATH

• IntroductionChapter 1. The ModelChapter 2. Mathematical FormulationChapter 3. The Equilibrium StatesChapter 4. StabilityChapter 5. Exploring the Case of the Linear Restoring ForceChapter 6. The Case of the Nonlinear Restoring ForceChapter 7. Open Problems and Challenges