Contents Recent advancements in the performance of industrial products
and structures are quite intense. Consequently, mechanical design of
high accuracy is necessary to enhance their mechanical performance,
strength and durability. The basis for their mechanical design can be
provided through elastoplastic deformation analyses. For that reason,
industrial engineers in the fields of mechanical, civil, architec- ral,
aerospace engineering, etc. must learn pertinent knowledge relevant to
elas- plasticity. Numerous books about elastoplasticity have been
published since "Mathema- cal Theory of Plasticity", the notable book of
R. Hill (1950), was written in the middle of the last century. That and
similar books mainly address conventional plasticity models on the
premise that the interior of a yield surface is an elastic domain.
However, conventional plasticity models are applicable to the prediction
of monotonic loading behavior, but are inapplicable to prediction of
deformation behavior of machinery subjected to cyclic loading and civil
or architectural str- tures subjected to earthquakes. Elastoplasticity
has developed to predict defor- tion behavior under cyclic loading and
non-proportional loading and to describe nonlocal, finite and
rate-dependent deformation behavior.