Heterogeneous Materials - Nonlinear and Breakdown Properties and Atomistic Modeling (Hardcover, 2003 ed.)

This book describes and discusses the properties of heterogeneous materials. The properties considered include the conductivity (thermal, electrical, magnetic), elastic moduli, dielectrical constant, optical properties, mechanical fracture, and electrical and dielectrical breakdown properties. Both linear and nonlinear properties are considered. The nonlinear properties include those with constitutive non-linearities as well as threshold non-linearities, such as brittle fracture and dielectric breakdown. A main goal of this book is to compare two fundamental approaches to describing and predicting materials properties, namely, the continuum mechanics approach, and those based on the discrete models. The latter models include the lattice models and the atomistic approaches. The book provides comprehensive and up to date theoretical and computer simulation analysis of materials' properties. Typical experimental methods for measuring all of these properties are outlined, and comparison is made between the experimental data and the theoretical predictions. Volume I covers linear properties, while Volume II considers non-linear and fracture and breakdown properties, as well as atomistic modeling. This multidisciplinary book will appeal to applied physicists, materials scientists, chemical and mechanical engineers, chemists, and applied mathematicians.