This thesis presents a theoretical analysis of the behavior of glasses under external perturbations, i.e. compression and shear straining. Written in a pedagogical style, it explains every facet of the problem in detail, including many crucial steps that cannot be found in the existing literature--making it particularly useful for students and as an introduction to the subject of glassy physics.

In glassy systems the behavior under external compression and shear-strain is quite peculiar. Many complex phenomena are observed and grasping them fully would be a major step toward a...