Description
OUP Oxford Instabilities And Self Organization In Materials 2 Vol Set (Hb 2008) by N M Ghoniem
In materials, critical phenomena such as phase transitions, plastic deformation and fracture are intimately related to self-organization. Understanding the origin of spatio-temporal order in systems far from thermal equilibrium and the selection mechanisms of spatial structures and their symmetries is a major theme of present day research on the structure of continuous matter. Furthermore, the development of methods for producing spatially-ordered and self-assembled microstructure in solids by non-equilibrium methods opens the door to many technological applications. There is an increasing demand for a better understanding of new materials from a more fundamental point of view. In order to describe and understand the behavior of such materials, dynamical concepts related to non-equilibrium phenomena, irreversible thermodynamics, nonlinear dynamics, and bifurcation theory, are required. The generic presence of defects and their crucial influence on pattern formation and critical phenomena in extended systems is now well-established. Similar to observations in hydrodynamical, liquid crystal, and laser systems, defects in materials have a profound effect. We found it thus timely to develop a unified presentation of tools, concepts, and methods that are useful to material scientists and engineers. Although specialized treatments of various topics covered in this book are available, we feel that a comprehensive approach may give the reader a higher vantage point. Hence, emphasis is placed on combining the basic physical, mathematical and computational aspects with technological applications within the material's life-cycle, from processing, degradation to eventual failure.