The first theme concerns the plastic buckling of structures in the spirit of Hill s classical approach. Non-bifurcation and stability criteria are introduced and post-bifurcation analysis performed by asymptotic development method in relation with Hutchinson s work. Some recent results on the generalized standard model are given and their connection to Hill s general formulation is presented. Instability phenomena of inelastic flow processes such as strain localization and necking are discussed. The second theme concerns stability and bifurcation problems in internally damaged or cracked...

This proceedings volume contains 39 papers presented at the IUTAM Sym posium on Variations of Domains and Free Boundary Problems in Solid Mechanics, held in Paris from April 22nd to 25th 1997, at the Ecole des Mines and the Ecole Poly technique. This symposium offered an opportunity for researchers from all engineering disciplines and applied mathematics to review the state of the art and to identify new trends and new features in the field. Mechanical modelling, mathematical discussion and numerical resolution have been the primary goals of the meeting. Principal subjects of discussion...