This book is the first to apply the Spectral Finite Element Method (SFEM) to inhomogeneous and anisotropic structures in a unified and systematic manner. Readers will gain understanding of how to formulate Spectral Finite Element; learn about wave behaviour in inhomogeneous and anisotropic media; and, be able to design some diagnostic tools for monitoring the health of a structure. Tables, figures and graphs support the theory and case studies are included.
Wave propagation is an exciting ?eld having applications cutting across many disciplines. In the ?eld of structural engineering and smart structures, wave propagation based tools have found increasing applications especially in the areaofstructuralhealthmonitoringandactivecontrolofvibrationsandnoise. Inaddition,therehasbeentremendousprogressintheareaofmaterialscience, wherein a new class of structural materials is designed to meet the parti- lar application. In most cases, these materials are not isotropic as in metallic structures. They are either anisotropic (as in the case of laminated composite structures) or inhomogeneous (as in the case of functionally graded mate- als). Analysis of these structures is many orders more complex than that of isotropic structures. For many scientists/engineers, a clear di?erence between structural dynamics and wave propagation is not evident. Traditionally, a structural designer will not be interested in the behavior of structures beyond certain frequencies, which are essentially at the lower end of the frequency scale. For such situations, available general purpose ?nite element code will satisfy the designer's requirement. However, currently, structures are required tobedesignedtosustainverycomplexandharshloadingenvironments. These loadings are essentially multi-modal phenomena and their analysis falls under the domain of wave propagation rather than structural dynamics. Evaluation of the structural integrity of anisotropic and inhomogeneous structures s- jected to such loadings is a complex process. The currently available analysis tools are highly inadequate to handle the modeling of these structures. In this book, we present a technique called the "Spectral Finite Element Method",whichwebelievewilladdresssomeoftheshortcomingsoftheexistinganalysis tools.
Wave propagation is an exciting ?eld having applications cutting across many disciplines. In the ?eld of structural engineering and smart structures, wave propagation based tools have found increasing applications especially in the areaofstructuralhealthmonitoringandactivecontrolofvibrationsandnoise. Inaddition,therehasbeentremendousprogressintheareaofmaterialscience, wherein a new class of structural materials is designed to meet the parti- lar application. In most cases, these materials are not isotropic as in metallic structures. They are either anisotropic (as in the case of laminated composite structures) or inhomogeneous (as in the case of functionally graded mate- als). Analysis of these structures is many orders more complex than that of isotropic structures. For many scientists/engineers, a clear di?erence between structural dynamics and wave propagation is not evident. Traditionally, a structural designer will not be interested in the behavior of structures beyond certain frequencies, which are essentially at the lower end of the frequency scale. For such situations, available general purpose ?nite element code will satisfy the designer's requirement. However, currently, structures are required tobedesignedtosustainverycomplexandharshloadingenvironments. These loadings are essentially multi-modal phenomena and their analysis falls under the domain of wave propagation rather than structural dynamics. Evaluation of the structural integrity of anisotropic and inhomogeneous structures s- jected to such loadings is a complex process. The currently available analysis tools are highly inadequate to handle the modeling of these structures. In this book, we present a technique called the "Spectral Finite Element Method",whichwebelievewilladdresssomeoftheshortcomingsoftheexistinganalysis tools.
From the reviews: "The book deals with wave propagation and related problems of identification and control for anisotropic composites with particular emphasis on laminated and graded structures. It is intended for graduate and senior undergraduate students and researchers in engineering disciplines. ... The book presents some interesting results in material sciences. The researchers in this area will find it useful in a number of applications." (Fiazud Din Zaman, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1145, 2008)