The recent success and popularity of the finite-element method, crucial to solving mathematical problems in many branches of engineering today, is based on the variational methods discussed in this textbook. The author, Toshio Mura, is a distinguished engineer and applied mathematician who brings to the work a highly pragmatic approach designed to facilitate teaching the subject, which is essential for all materials science and mechanical and civil engineering students. In addition to all basic topics, the authors cover state-of-the-art research findings, such as those involving composite...

This book stems from a course on Micromechanics that I started about fifteen years ago at Northwestern University. At that time, micromechanics was a rather unfamiliar subject. Although I repeated the course every year, I was never convinced that my notes have quite developed into a final manuscript because new topics emerged constantly requiring revisions, and additions. I finally came to realize that if this is continued, then I will never complete the book to my total satisfaction. Meanwhile, T. Mori and I had coauthored a book in Japanese, entitled Micromechanics, published by Baifu-kan,...

This book sterns from a course on Micromechanics that I started about fifteen years ago at Northwestern University. At that time, micro mechanics was a rather unfamiliar subject. Although I repeated the course every year, I was ne ver convinced that my notes have quite developed into a final manuscript because new topics emerged con stantly requiring revisions, and additions. I finally came to realize that if this is continued, then I will never complete the book to my total satisfaction. Meanwhile, T. Mori and I had coauthored a book in Micromechanics, published by Baifu-kan, Tokyo, in...