Mechanical behaviour of materials. Vol. 2: Viscoplasticity, damage, fracture and contact mechanics (Q1390742)

When the first edition of these two volumes was issued in French [see the authors, Comportement mecanique des materiaux. Vol. I, Traite des Nouvelles Technologies: Series Mecanique. Paris: Hermes (1991; Zbl 0803.73003), and Comportement mecanique des materiaux: Viscoplasticite, endommagement, mecanique de la rupture, mecanique du contact. Vol. II. Paris: Hermes (1993; Zbl 0806.73002)], the reviewer recommended an English edition, because such an important work should be understandable for the scientific community world wide. And apart from that, we suggested to enlarge the list of references in the books to facilitate further research by the reader. Now with the new English editions of the two volumes, both suggestions have been made real. The volumes have been carefully translated from French by Jack Howlett, and some minor improvements have been included. All in all, most of what we remarked concerning the first edition, still remains valid. The three authors, all of them distinguished scientists in the field of material research, have written an interesting and useful book for both students and engineers. The first volume treats the elastic and plastic behaviour of materials, mainly of metals. A rather interesting appendix is dedicated to phase changes. The second volume deals with viscoplasticity, damage, fatigue, fracture etc. and with contact mechanics. The importance of these books comes from the material side. Material models are closely related to physical phenomena, which are carefully introduced. One would hardly find such physical insight in books on continuum mechanics.