Composite Structures 7 (1987) 227-228

Book Reviews

Science of Ceramic Chemical Processing. Edited by Larry L. Hench and Donald R. Ulrich, 1986. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, New York.

Based on the proceedings of the international conference on 'Ultrastructure Processing of Ceramics, Glasses and Composites' held in 1985, this volume presents contributions by distinguished specialists in chemistry, physics, ceramics and polymer science. It outlines in considerable detail the basic chemistry necessary in the production of ceramics, glass and composite materials along with a number of new innovations in these fields, i.e. computer-aided processing, chemical control of surface films, etc.

Al though of tenuous relevance to the present readership, it will no doubt find its way to many academic and research libraries as a reference text.

A.M.S.

Energy and Finite Element Methods in Structural Mechanics. By Irving H. Shames and Clive L. Dym, 1986. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York.

This work is an extension to t he authors earlier text, published in 1973, entitled 'Solid Mechanics: A Variational Approach'. The first two parts of the new work are taken, with some additions, deletions and alterations from that earlier book.

The book is written for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students in civil, mechanical and aeronautical engineering and has been arranged in a flexible manner to enable it to be used for a wide range of courses.

The subject matter is arranged in three parts of approximately equal size. Part one is entitled 'Foundations of Solid Mechanics and Variational Methods ' ; part two is 'Structural Mechanics' and finally part three is entitled 'Finite Elements ' . The arrangement is so designed that teachers can use selected portions to form the basis of their own individual course. There are two suggested course outlines which are based on the authors' teaching experiences.

Parts one and two derive the working equations of structural mechanics 227

Composite Structures (7) (1987)----O Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1987. Printed in Great Britain