The practicing design engineer, who deals with the design of structures and structural and mechanical components in general, is often confronted with nonlinear problems and he/she needs to develop a design procedure that deals e?ectively with such types of problems. Flexible members, structures subjected to blast and earthquake, suspension bridges, aircraft structural elements, and so on, are only a few examples where understanding of their nonlinear behavior is extremely important for an adequate and safe design. Many of our nonlinear structures are composed of beam elements that can be taken apart from the structure, and their behavior can be studied by satisfying appropriate boundary conditions. Once we are in a position to understand completely the behavior of the nonlinear beam problem, we can then expand our knowledge e?ectively so that it includes a complete und- standing of the nonlinear behavior of two-dimensional and three-dimensional structures and structural components. In part, the purpose of this book is to concentrate its e?orts on the n- linear static and dynamic analysis of structural beam components that are widely used in everyday engineering applications. The analysis and design of the beam component can become very complicated when it is subjected to a large deformation, or when its material is permitted to be stressed well - yond its elastic limit and all the way to failure.
Demeter G. Fertis is professor of civil engineering at the University of Akron. He was previously an associate professor at the University of Iowa and at Wayne State University, and a research engineer in the Michigan State Department of Transportation. Dr. Fertis was also visiting professor at the National Technical University in Athens, Greece. During his teaching career, he taught more than twenty graduate courses on different subjects, in the Civil, Mechanical, and Engineering Mechanics Departments. He has received a BS degree (1952) in civil engineering and urban planning and an MS degree (1955) in civil engineering from Michigan State University, East Lansing, and a Doctor of Engineering degree (1964) from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece. Dr. Fertis has consulted for NASA, Ford Motor Company, the Atomic Power Development Associates, General Motors, Boeing Aircraft Company, Lockheed California Company, Goodyear Aerospace, and the Department of the Navy. He has developed patents, which received international attention and used by professional engineers. He is the author of many books, published by major publishers, and numerous articles in professional journals and proceedings. A member of ASCE, ASME, the American Academy of Mechanics, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, and many other organizations, Professor Fertis has served as a professional journal editor and as a member of many national and international technical committees.
Dr. Fertis is now an Emeritus Professor at the University of Akron and devotes his time doing scholarly research, writing scholarly books, giving lectures, and advancing technology by developing new methodologies for the solution of complicated engineering problems.
