Euler at 300

This book describes the historical development of the principle of stationary action from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Reference is made to the most important contributors to this topic, in particular Bernoullis, Leibniz, Euler, Lagrange and Laplace. The leading theme is how the action principle is applied to problems in classical physics such as hydrodynamics, electrodynamics and gravity, extending also to the modern formulation of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, especially quantum electrodynamics. A critical analysis of operator versus c-number field theory is given. The book contains many worked examples. In particular, the term "vacuum" is scrutinized.

This book presents a comparative study on the static responses of the Euler-Bernoulli beam governed by nonlocal theories, including the Eringen’s stress-gradient beam theory, the Mindlin’s strain-gradient beam theory, the higher-order beam theory and the peridynamic beam theory. Benchmark examples are solved analytically and numerically using these nonlocal beam equations, including the simply-supported beam, the clamped-clamped beam and the cantilever beam. Results show that beam deformations governed by different nonlocal theories at different boundary conditions show complex behaviors. Specifically, the Eringen’s stress-gradient beam equation and the peridynamic beam equation yield a much softer beam deformation for simply-supported beam and clamped-clamped beam, while the beam governed by the Mindlin’s strain-gradient beam equation is much stiffer.

This book presents a comparative study on the static responses of the Euler-Bernoulli beam governed by nonlocal theories, including the Eringen’s stress-gradient beam theory, the Mindlin’s strain-gradient beam theory, the higher-order beam theory and the peridynamic beam theory. Benchmark examples are solved analytically and numerically using these nonlocal beam equations, including the simply-supported beam, the clamped-clamped beam and the cantilever beam. Results show that beam deformations governed by different nonlocal theories at different boundary conditions show complex behaviors. Specifically, the Eringen’s stress-gradient beam equation and the peridynamic beam equation yield a much softer beam deformation for simply-supported beam and clamped-clamped beam, while the beam governed by the Mindlin’s strain-gradient beam equation is much stiffer.