A decade has passed since Problems of Nonlinear Deformation, the first book by E.I. Grigoliuk: and V.I. Shalashilin was published. That work gave a systematic account of the parametric continuation method. Ever since, the understanding of this method has sufficiently broadened. Previously this method was considered as a way to construct solution sets of nonlinear problems with a parameter. Now it is c1ear that one parametric continuation algorithm can efficiently work for building up any parametric set. This fact significantly widens its potential applications. A curve is the simplest example...

Interest in nonlinear problems in mechanics has been revived and intensified by the capacity of digital computers. Consequently, a question offundamental importance is the development of solution procedures which can be applied to a large class of problems. Nonlinear problems with a parameter constitute one such class. An important aspect of these problems is, as a rule, a question of the variation of the solution when the parameter is varied. Hence, the method of continuing the solution with respect to a parameter is a natural and, to a certain degree, universal tool for analysis. This book...