Recognized authors contributed to this collection of original papers from all fields of research in continuum mechanics. Special emphasis is given to time dependent and independent permanent deformations, damage and fracture. Part of the contributions is dedicated to current efforts in describing material behavior with regard to, e.g., anisotropy, thermal effects, softening, ductile and brittle fracture, porosity and granular structure. Another part deals with numerical aspects arising from the implementation of material laws in the calculations of forming processes, soil mechanics and structural mechanics. Applications of theory and numerical methods belong to the following areas: Comparison with experimental results from material testing, metal forming under thermal and dynamic conditions, failure by damage, fracture and localized deformation modes. The variety of treated topics provides a survery of the actual research in these fields; therefore, the book is addressed to those interested in special problems of continuum mechanics as well as to those interested in a general knowledge.
