ISTE Press Ltd - Elsevier Inc – förlag

Computational Mechanics: Continuous and Discrete Models for Solids, Fluids and Structures offers a unified presentation of continuum mechanical models and their discrete counterparts, giving a deeper understanding of the relationship that exists between the main numerical methods, finite element methods, and finite volume methods, also presenting the advantages and shortcomings of each. This book shows, with the use of MATLAB code snippets, how to implement the methods described for all types of different problems, including linear and nonlinear, stationary and time dependent, and solids and fluids, all presented for the typical common finite element, finite volume, and time stepping methods.

Physics of Intense Lasers explores the general architecture of intense lasers, amplification, non-linear effects, temporal control for chirped pulse amplification, and final characterization. The field of intense laser physics is literally booming, as the ever increasing capabilities of intense lasers open new research avenues on matters in extreme conditions of temperature, density, and acceleration. This volume enables readers to immerse themselves in the physics and technology of lasers while also gaining awareness about the most up-to-date developments in the field.

Formation and Evolution of Geological Grains and Sediments provides a comprehensive discussion of the surface of rocky planets, including the Earth, Moon, Mars, etc., and those that are composed of geological grains of various sizes. These grains are formed and evolved by means of physical and chemical processes, which, in turn, affects the formation and evolution of sediments, geography, and biological environment. In order to clarify the whole picture for these natural processes, this book attempts to overview the state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of granular physics, the earth and planetary sciences, and soil mechanics.

The Critical State Framework for Soil Behaviour: New insight from DEM Simulations presents the latest on a topic that was originally proposed by Schofield and Wroth in the 1960s, and has subsequently proven to be a very good framework to describe sand behavior. This framework uses the critical state, the void ratio and stress level attained by a soil at large shear deformations, as a reference state. The particulate discrete element method (DEM) allows the fundamental basis of the critical state to be examined in detail. Using DEM simulations, this book considers the sensitivity of the critical state to particle scale parameters (friction) and overall conditions (3D stress state), also linking between overall behavior and particle scale mechanics. The simulation data is then analyzed to better understand the fundamental mechanisms.

Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of the Lumbar Spine: Computational Approaches: From Research to In Silico Medicine aims to outline how major decision points—such as goal-adapted numerical approximations—infer in the capability of lumbar spine models to provide valuable cause-and-effect relationships in the study of organ conditions and treatments.The spine presents an astonishing balance between mechanical resistance and flexibility in the human body, provided by complex interactions that are extremely difficult to restore when altered in disease. Given that these interactions are difficult to assess in situ, designing efficient treatments for low back pain remains a grand challenge in medicine. Along with more than 10 years of activity in research, the book's author has explored in-depth the capability of finite element models to capture the functional load transfers within the lumbar spine. Readers of this book will find useful guidelines for model developments in both research and clinical applications.

Knowledge Dissemination for Multimedia Traffic presents a clear demonstration of the importance of developed algorithms in terms of access time, distribution, and load sharing between the control nodes for knowledge management, complete with a platform tested on decentralized control of software-defined networks.The extensive growth in Internet traffic, the emergence of new multimedia applications, and the development of new underlying applications has induced many changes in the use of information technology in everyday life. This new evolving trend requires us to rethink the foundation of the network architecture itself, which has resulted in the emergence of new concepts based on a user-centric'' view, instead of a network-centric'' view. Control mechanisms in the network transmission must not only exploit information on data control and management planes, but also consider the knowledge acquired or learned by inductive or deductive inference on the current state of the network (traffic, resources, the rendering of the application) in order to accelerate the decision-making process by the network’s control elements. This book specifically addresses the concept of a system's dissemination of knowledge across autonomic networks. The authors present the foundations and implementation methods for the management, distribution, and exploitation of the knowledge required for the proper functioning of the transmission in the network.

Nonlinear Programming and Dynamic Optimization in Energy Systems contains the methodologies and technological solutions for energy system monitoring and control, from applications, to electricity smart grids and more unconventional approaches to multi-carrier systems. The book discusses optimizing the energy hub supply to produce an effective and reliable operation of the multicarrier energy network with tested algorithms to produce optimal energy flow. The authors include results obtained during an industrial research project on Smart Cities that was carried out in collaboration with utility companies and other academic, research, and industrial partners. Results are focused on assessing the impact of distributed generation, storage devices, electric vehicles, and smart appliances distributed to residential energy hubs. In addition, actual results on real-time control and optimal dispatch of a hybrid energy system designed for supplying power in isolated power systems are presented.

Interactive Evolution of Earth and Life aims to provide readers with detailed, current knowledge of the oldest geological terrains reported on Earth. It includes discussion of evidence for the oldest traces of life on Earth and paleo-environmental reconstruction. The book reviews the evolution of Earth’s living and chemical systems, from the first evidence of crust formation to the rise of complex multicellular life. Following different key geological formations of Precambrian ages, the authors present a general evolutionary scheme from an abiotic, hot, and anoxic inhospitable Earth system to the evolution of Eukaryotes in an environment suitable for the evolution for complex life. Key scientific results using geochemistry and micro- to nano-scale analyses are presented together with ongoing scientific debate on the biogenicity of the earliest traces of life on earth and the nature of their host environments.

Design of Protection Works Against Torrent Floods explores the main features of the three leading types of protection works—torrent checkdams, sediment dams, and torrential dykes—to help readers learn how to design them. It is dedicated to technicians, engineers, and risk managers who are in charge of structural design and/or management. The book presents a technical and integrated overview of the design process, but also describes the different points that make these protection works so specific when compared with classical civil engineering works, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. In addition, this comprehensive resource emphasizes the main issues of structural and functional design, also offering the keys to dedicated and more specialized literature. Users will find a useful guide that provides a description of theoretical calculation methods that includes examples of observed failures.