Non-linear Finite Element Analysis of Solids and Structures
M.A. Crisfield
Imperial College of Science,
Technology and Medicine, London, UK

Preface In the preface to Volume 1, I expressed my trepidation at starting to write a book on non-linear finite elements and the associated mechanics. These doubts grew as
I worked on Volume 2, which attempts to cover ‘advanced topics'. These topics include many areas which are still the subject of considerable controversy. None the less, I have finally completed this second volume, although in so doing, I have almost certainly
made mistakes. In persevering, I have received much encouragement from a number of readers of Volume 1 who have urged me not to abandon the second volume and who have made me believe that there is some need for a book of this kind.cover the background mechanics. My aim has not been to replace such books and, indeed, I have attempted to reference these books with a view to encouraging wider reading. Instead, my aim has been to emphasise the numerical implementation. As with the earlier volume, an engineering approach is adopted in contrast to a strict mathematical
development. At theend of the Preface of Volume 1, I indicated the subjects that I intended to cover in this second volume. These topics have all been included, but so have a number of other topics that I did not originally envisage including. In particular Chapter 23 covers ‘Contact and friction' and Chapter 24 covers ‘Nonlinear dynamics' (both ‘implicit' and ‘explicit'). These important subjects are included because I have now conducted some research in these areas. This is true of most of the topics in the book. However, while I have often given the background to some of my own research, I have also attempted to cover important developments by others. Often, in so doing, I have reinterpreted these works in relation to my own ‘viewpoint'. Often, this will not coincide with that of the originator. The reader should, of course, read the originals as well! The previous paragraph gives the impression that the book is related to research. This is only partially true in that any book, attempting to cover advanced topics, must be concerned with the recent research in the field. However, in addition to these research-related topics, there are many other topics in which the ground work is fairly well established. In these areas, the book is closer to a traditional ‘textbook'. I referred earlier to ‘my own research'. Of course, I should have referred to ‘the work of my research group'. In particular, I must thank the following (in alphabetical order)for their important contributions: Mohammed Asghar, Michael Dracopoulos,Zhiliang Fan, Ugo Galvanetto, Hans-Bernd Hellweg, Gordan Jelenic, Ahad 

Non-Linear Finite Element Analysis Of Solids And Structures