One of the most interesting developments in engineering analysis during the last few years has been the rapid growth of boundary element methods. The first and second international conferences on this topic held in 1978 and 1980 attracted approximately 30 papers each, most of them from a few well known groups around the world. The third meeting in 1981, produced instead approximately 40 papers, many of them from young investigators working in newly created research groups. They have been attracted to boundary elements by the many advantages of the technique and were able to assimilate...

VI SOCRATES: I think that we ought to stress that we will write only about things that we have first hand experience in, in a coherent way that will be useful to engineers and other scientists and stressing the formulation without being too mathematical. We should write with integrity and honesty, giving reference to other authors where reference is due, but avoiding mentioning everybody just to be certain that our book is widely advertised. Above all, the book should be clear and useful. PLATO: I think we should include a good discussion of fundamental ideas, of how integral equations are...

This book contains papers presented at the 1st International Conference on Timber Structures, which was held in collaboration with the Technical Centre of Wood Industry in Belgium. It explores the latest developments in wood products and their application as structural components. The focus of the included works is to draw attention to new research and real applications from both researchers and practitioners, and to present new and innovative ideas in this significant field. Rapid advances have recently been made in the development and processing of innovative ecologically friendly wood...

The papers in this volume deal with the design of many types of buildings in Islamic countries and the influence that these structural forms have had in non-Islamic countries. Coverage will also include construction materials.There is much to learn from past experiences to arrive at solutions that are environmentally sound and sustainable in the long term. As conventional energy resources become scarce, the Islamic design heritage can offer invaluable lessons on how to deal with difficult and extreme environments in an efficient manner. Traditional architecture and urban environment in most...

Formed of presented papers this volume contains research from the 40th International Conference on Boundary Elements and other Mesh Reduction Methods, recognised as THE international forum for the latest advances in these techniques and their applications in science and engineering. The ongoing success of this series is a result of the strength of research being carried out all over the world and the coverage has continually evolved in line with the latest developments in the field. The books originating from this conference series constitute a record of the development of BEM/MRM, running...

This multi-disciplinary book presents new approaches for resolving complex issues that cannot be resolved using conventional mathematical or software models.Complex Systems occur in an infinite variety of problems encompassing fields as diverse as economics, the environment, humanities, social and political sciences, physical sciences and engineering. The papers in the book cover such topics as: Complex business processes; Supply chain complexity; Complex adaptive software; Management of complexity; Complexity in social systems; Complexity in engineering; Complex issues in biological and...

Flooding is a global phenomenon that claims countless lives worldwide each year. When flooding occurs in populated areas, it can cause substantial damage to property as well as threatening human life. Apart from the physical damage to buildings, contents and loss of life, which are the most obvious impacts of floods upon households, indirect losses are often overlooked. These indirect and intangible impacts are generally associated with disruption to normal life as well as longer term health issues including stress related illness. In many parts of the developing world, flooding can represent...

The papers presented in this volume aim to update the use of advanced systems, promoting their general awareness throughout the management, design, manufacture and operation of railways and other emerging passenger, freight and transit systems. The book particularly emphasizes the use of computer systems in advanced railway engineering.Topics covered include: Communications and signalling; Operations quality; Energy supply and consumption; Monitoring and maintenance; Computer simulations Planning and policy; Operational planning; Safety and security; Rescheduling; Timetable planning.

The papers contained in this volume were originally presented at the 2015 International Conference on Complex Systems in Business, Administration, Science and Engineering. Included are the latest works of practitioners from a variety of disciplines who have developed new approaches for resolving complex issues that cannot be formulated using conventional, mathematical or software models.Complex Systems occur in an infinite variety of problems, not only in the realm of physical sciences and engineering, but also in such diverse fields as economics, the environment, humanities, and social and...

Comprising specially selected papers this book presents trans-disciplinary research on issues related to the nature of water, and its use and exploitation by society. The valuable research contained in this book demonstrates the need to bridge the gap between physical, biological, environmental and health sciences. Water is essential for sustaining life on our planet, nevertheless its unequal distribution is a source of permanent conflict. It is predicted that population growth and irregular rainfall, due to climate change, may lead to more restricted access to water in certain regions of...