Handbook of mechanical stability in engineering. Vol. 1: General theorems and individual members of mechanical systems. Vol. 2: Stability and elastically deformable mechanical systems. Vol. 3: More challenges in stability theories and codification problems (Q2880373)

The theory of stability of equilibrium attracts and captivates people working in structural engineering. An incomplete list of most prominent scientists from Russia in this area is: N. A. Alfutov, V. V. Bolotin, B. M. Bloude, V. Z. Vlasov, A. S. Volmir, G. Y. Janelidze, N. V. Kornoukhov, E. L. Nikolai, V. V. Novozhilov, Y. N. Nudelman, Y. G. Panovko, P. F. Papkovich, A. R. Rzanithin, A. F. Smirnov, S. P. Timoshenko, V. I. Feodosiev. The works of these scientists are the base to write this three volumes. The authors of these books are well known. A. Perelmuter is a leading expert in steel structures in academic institutions in Russia and Ukraine. He has been the head of structural design of important projects in Kiev, Tbilisi, Yerevan, industrial buildings, and bridges. A. Perelmuter's scientific interests cover nonlinear problems of structural mechanics, theory of equilibrium stability, problems of safety and reliability of building structures. V. Slivker was the head of department at the Gidrostroymost Instiyute in St. Petersburg. He worked on structural design and developed calculation methods for bridges in St. Petersburg, Astana, Riga and other many cities, including the cable-stayed bridges in Vladivostok across Zolotoy Rog bay, and across Eastern Bosphorus channel. The focus of his research interests is the development of numerical methods solutions for nonlinear problems in mechanics of solid deformed bodies. He died on 2011 of inoperable cancer. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE In volume 1, general theorems of mechanical systems are considered and following topics are discussed: stability of equilibrium of systems with finite degrees of freedom, variational statements of equilibrium stability for elastic bodies, asymptotic analysis of post-critical behavior, stability of equilibrium of straight bars, curved bars and thin-walled bars. Especially, conservative external forces and moments and spatial curved bars describing Kirchhoff-Clebsch theory are considered. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE Volume 2 treats stability of elastically deformable mechanical systems. Stability equilibria of plates on different theoretical foundation of Kirchhoff-Love and Reissner theories are discussed. Stability of systems with unilateral constraints, stability of equilibrium of planar bar structures, finite element method in problems of stability, and hinged bar systems are studied. Non-conservative systems and dynamic stability criteria, practical examples, post critical deformation of bars, frame systems, plates, and finite element modeling of thin-walled bars are presented. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE Volume 3 contains stability topics of inelastic systems, stability of creep, dynamic stability, and aerodynamic instability, for example, flexural-torsion vibrations of Tacoma Narrows Bridges. Experiment and its comparison with theoretical results and stability check basing on design codex are described. The description of Southwell experimental method of determination critical loads is very interesting.NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE But, the handbook has also a lot of small bugs. e.g., the Rayleigh ratio in the form of formula (3.30). In fig 1.21, the sign of displacement near the support is opposite. The sense of fig. 4.22 (p. 256) is not clear. There are printed two different formulas for critical forces by Alfutov model and Timoshenco-Vlasov model (on p. 418). These formulas give the results in two different times. Which time is true? Paragraph 6.33 (p. 431) describes the stability of thin-walled beams. but fig. 6.9 is not a thin-walled beam. The sense of fig. 7.10 and 10.3 is not clear. Formula (4.1) (on p. 695) is not correct. The paragraph 10.4 (p. 695-697) is not understandable. The difference between systems with slack and systems when they are fit is not clear: the schemes are the same (p.1092, fig. 16.11).NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE But nevertheless, these three volumes are an outstanding work about stability of elastic systems. These books are very pleasant for scientists, post graduate students, students and engineers, who interested in stability of deformable systems.