Stability of elastic structures (Q1841994)

This is an introductory and at the same time a self-contained text on the stability of elastic structures. The contents is the following: (1) Equilibrium stability; (2) Mathematical preliminaries; (3) Bifurcating and limiting points; (4) Bifurcation analysis; (5) Flexure of usual elastic structures; (6) Effects of small variations; (7) Multiple-mode bifurcation; (8) Stability in the presence of perfect constraints; (9) Statical and dynamical bifurcation; (10) Numerical aspects; References and index. First, we remark the good clarity of the exposition, the excellent graphical presentation (text and drawing). The book is a beautiful and elegant introduction to the modern theory of the stability and bifurcation. The author succeeded in choosing illustrative examples and in treating them in the spirit of modern analysis. At the end different approaches discussed in the book show how to get answers to nonlinear problems of mechanics. The references offer a list of basic texts in the area of stability and bifurcation, from those of Andronov and LaSalle to refined ones such that of Thom. I think the book represents a real success of the French school of mechanics. The merits of the book are clearly put into light by Paul Germain in the foreword.