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Books in Physical sciences and engineering

  • Marine Coastal Eutrophication

    Proceedings of an International Conference, Bologna, Italy, 21-24 March 1990
    • 1st Edition
    • R.A. Vollenweider + 2 more
    • English
    Eutrophication in the transitional marine coastal waters has increased dramatically in many parts of the world, and this evolution has shifted attention to the anthropogenic factor. The problem has become the theme of many conferences and workshops, as well as being given priority in international organizations.This volume has been brought about by the desire to assess both our scientific understanding as well as the means and technologies available to combat the problem of marine coastal eutrophication. It discusses the results of research and surveillance programmes carried out in the last decades, confronting these results with experience gained elsewhere, and reviewing current proposals of what can be done about the problem. This volume will be invaluable to environmental scientists and marine ecologists, as well as to those who wish to resolve the many large-scale environmental problems, specifically marine eutrophication and marine pollution in general.
  • The Academic Librarian as Blended Professional

    Reassessing and Redefining the Role
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael Perini
    • English
    The Academic Librarian as Blended Professional employs a model that allows for individual and managerial reconceptualization of the librarian's role, also helping to mitigate obstacles to professional development both internal and external to the library. Using traditional and personal narrative, the book extends Whitchurch’s blended professional model, designed to consider the merging of academicians’ roles across several spheres of professional and academic influence in a higher education setting, to academic librarians. The book is significant due to its use of higher education theory to examine the professional identity of academic librarians and the issues impacting librarian professional development. The work offers a constructive, replicable research design appropriate for the analysis of librarians in other academic settings, providing additional insights into how these professionals might perceive their roles within the larger context of a higher education environment. Following the application of the blended professional model, this book contends that academic librarians have similar roles concerning research, instruction, and service when compared to an institution’s tenure-track faculty. The scope of professional productivity and the expectation of the librarians, though, are much less regimented. Consequently, the academic librarians find themselves in a tenuous working space where their blended role is inhibited by real and perceived barriers.
  • Excavation, Support and Monitoring

    Volume 4
    • 1st Edition
    • J.A. Hudson
    • English
    Comprehensive Rock Engineering: Principles, Practice, & Projects, Volume 4: Excavation, Support, and Monitoring focuses on rock mechanics research and engineering, including excavation, drilling, blasting, and collapse mechanisms of boreholes. The selection first offers information on the construction process, mechanisms of rock fragmentation by blasting, and methods of improving blasting operations. Discussions focus on excavation, support, monitoring, stress wave mechanics, crater blasting, applications in construction and quarry blasting, fragmentation, damage, and environmental aspects. The text also ponders on the regulations, methods, and control techniques of blast monitoring and blast vibration monitoring for rock engineering. The publication takes a look at computer modeling and simulation of percussive drilling of rocks, mechanics of rock cutting, theoretical and practical rules for mechanical rock excavation, and use of water jets for rock excavation. Topics include drag pick cutting, excavating machines, adaptation of mechanical excavation to a harsh environment, abrasive water jets, and combined use of high pressure jets and mechanical cutting tools. The manuscript also examines design of support for underground excavations; development of tunnel support philosophy; and an overview of tunnel, underground excavation, and boreholes collapse mechanisms. The selection is a valuable reference for readers and rock engineering practitioners interested in pursuing research on rock engineering.
  • Active Coatings for Smart Textiles

    • 1st Edition
    • Jinlian Hu
    • English
    Active Coatings for Smart Textiles presents the latest information on active materials and their application to textiles in the form of coatings and finishes for the purpose of improving performance and creating active functional effects. This important book provides detailed coverage of smart coating types, processes, and applications. After an introduction to the topic, Part One introduces various types of smart and active coatings, including memory polymer coatings, durable and self-cleaning coatings, and breathable coatings. Technologies and related processes for the application of coatings to textiles is the focus of Part Two, with chapters devoted to microencapsulation technology, plasma surface treatments, and nanotechnology-based treatments. The book ends with a section on applications of smart textiles with responsive coatings, which are increasingly finding commercial niches in sportswear, protective clothing, medical textiles, and architecture.
  • Introduction to Optimum Design

    • 4th Edition
    • Jasbir Singh Arora
    • English
    Introduction to Optimum Design, Fourth Edition, carries on the tradition of the most widely used textbook in engineering optimization and optimum design courses. It is intended for use in a first course on engineering design and optimization at the undergraduate or graduate level in engineering departments of all disciplines, with a primary focus on mechanical, aerospace, and civil engineering courses. Through a basic and organized approach, the text describes engineering design optimization in a rigorous, yet simplified manner, illustrates various concepts and procedures with simple examples, and demonstrates their applicability to engineering design problems. Formulation of a design problem as an optimization problem is emphasized and illustrated throughout the text using Excel and MATLAB as learning and teaching aids. This fourth edition has been reorganized, rewritten in parts, and enhanced with new material, making the book even more appealing to instructors regardless of course level.
  • Introduction to Finite and Infinite Dimensional Lie (Super)algebras

    • 1st Edition
    • Neelacanta Sthanumoorthy
    • English
    Lie superalgebras are a natural generalization of Lie algebras, having applications in geometry, number theory, gauge field theory, and string theory. Introduction to Finite and Infinite Dimensional Lie Algebras and Superalgebras introduces the theory of Lie superalgebras, their algebras, and their representations. The material covered ranges from basic definitions of Lie groups to the classification of finite-dimensional representations of semi-simple Lie algebras. While discussing all classes of finite and infinite dimensional Lie algebras and Lie superalgebras in terms of their different classes of root systems, the book focuses on Kac-Moody algebras. With numerous exercises and worked examples, it is ideal for graduate courses on Lie groups and Lie algebras.
  • Flood Forecasting

    A Global Perspective
    • 1st Edition
    • Thomas E. Adams + 1 more
    • English
    Flood Forecasting: A Global Perspective describes flood forecast systems and operations as they currently exist at national and regional centers around the globe, focusing on the technical aspects of flood forecast systems. This book includes the details of data flow, what data is used, quality control, the hydrologic and hydraulic models used, and the unique problems of each country or system, such as glacial dam failures, ice jams, sparse data, and ephemeral streams and rivers. Each chapter describes the system, including details about its strengths and weaknesses, and covers lessons learned. This helpful resource facilitates sharing knowledge that will lead to improvements of existing systems and provides a valuable reference to those wishing to develop new forecast systems by drawing on best practices.
  • Multiscale Structural Topology Optimization

    • 1st Edition
    • Liang Xia
    • English
    Multiscale Structural Topology Optimization discusses the development of a multiscale design framework for topology optimization of multiscale nonlinear structures. With the intention to alleviate the heavy computational burden of the design framework, the authors present a POD-based adaptive surrogate model for the RVE solutions at the microscopic scale and make a step further towards the design of multiscale elastoviscoplastic structures. Various optimization methods for structural size, shape, and topology designs have been developed and widely employed in engineering applications. Topology optimization has been recognized as one of the most effective tools for least weight and performance design, especially in aeronautics and aerospace engineering. This book focuses on the simultaneous design of both macroscopic structure and microscopic materials. In this model, the material microstructures are optimized in response to the macroscopic solution, which results in the nonlinearity of the equilibrium problem of the interface of the two scales. The authors include a reduce database model from a set of numerical experiments in the space of effective strain.
  • Qualitative Analysis of Nonsmooth Dynamics

    A Simple Discrete System with Unilateral Contact and Coulomb Friction
    • 1st Edition
    • Alain Léger + 1 more
    • English
    Qualitative Analysis of Nonsmooth Dynamics: A Simple Discrete System with Unilateral Contact and Coulomb Friction explores the effects of small and large deformations to understand how shocks, sliding, and stick phases affect the trajectories of mechanical systems. By analyzing these non-regularities successively this work explores the set of equilibria and properties of periodic solutions of elementary mechanical systems, where no classical results issued from the theory of ordinary differential equations are readily available, such as stability, continuation or approximation of solutions. The authors focus on unilateral contact in presence of Coulomb friction and show, in particular, how any regularization would greatly simplify the mathematics but lead to unacceptable physical responses.
  • High Dynamic Range Video

    From Acquisition, to Display and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Frédéric Dufaux + 3 more
    • English
    At the time of rapid technological progress and uptake of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video content in numerous sectors, this book provides an overview of the key supporting technologies, discusses the effectiveness of various techniques, reviews the initial standardization efforts and explores new research directions in all aspects involved in HDR video systems. Topics addressed include content acquisition and production, tone mapping and inverse tone mapping operators, coding, quality of experience, and display technologies. This book also explores a number of applications using HDR video technologies in the automotive industry, medical imaging, spacecraft imaging, driving simulation and watermarking. By covering general to advanced topics, along with a broad and deep analysis, this book is suitable for both the researcher new or familiar to the area. With this book the reader will: Gain a broad understanding of all the elements in the HDR video processing chain Learn the most recent results of ongoing research Understand the challenges and perspectives for HDR video technologies