Principles of Continuum Mechanics

This book covers the fundamental aspects of continuum mechanics (tensor methods, kinematics of deformation and motion, forces and balance laws) and includes a modern account of essential aspects of constitutive theory such as frame invariance, material symmetry, constraints, and restrictions imposed by thermodynamics. Recent significant advances in the subject have been incorporated in a pedagogically useful format to facilitate independent study as well as access to research literature. An extensive range of problems are incorporated together with detailed solutions to reinforce concepts introduced in the text, help develop the reader's intuition, and promote engagement with the material. Intended for final year undergraduate and beginning graduate students of engineering and physics, this book provides a concise, rigorous and accessible introduction to continuum mechanics. It will also serve as a reference for researchers, instructors and practitioners.

David J Steigmann is Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the Society of Engineering Science (Elected 2010), and has a dedicated special issue in the journal Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics. In recent years, he was the recipient of the SES Medal of the Society of Engineering Science, the Levi-Civita Prize, the Acta Mechanica Sinica 2017 Best Paper Award and the Mentorship Award, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley (2018).

Milad Shirani earned his PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the recipient of the Robert F Steidel Fellowship (UC Berkeley) in 2021 and the Paul Naghdi Fellowship (UC Berkeley) in 2020.