# American Institute of Mathematical Sciences

March  2011, 3(1): 139-143. doi: 10.3934/jgm.2011.3.139

## Book review: Marcelo Epstein, The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics

 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva, 84848, Israel

Published  April 2011

Intended mainly for continuum mechanicists, Epstein's book introduces modern geometry and some of its applications to theoretical continuum mechanics. Thus, examples for the mathematical objects introduced are chosen from the realm of mechanics. In particular, differentiable manifolds, tangent and cotangent bundles, Riemannian manifolds, Lie derivatives, Lie groups, Lie algebras, differential forms and integration theory are presented in the main part of the book. Once the reader's familiarity with continuum mechanics is used for the introduction of basic geometry, geometry is used in order to generalize notions of continuum mechanics. Integration of differential forms is used to formulate flux theory on manifolds devoid of a Riemannian structure. More specialized topics, namely, Whitney's geometric integration theory and Sikorski's differential spaces are used to relax smoothness assumptions for bodies and fields defined on them. Finally, an overview is given of the work that Epstein and co-workers carried out in recent years where the theory of inhomogeneity of constitutive relations is developed using the geometry of principal fiber bundles, G-structures and connections.
Citation: Reuven Segev. Book review: Marcelo Epstein, The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics. Journal of Geometric Mechanics, 2011, 3 (1) : 139-143. doi: 10.3934/jgm.2011.3.139
##### References:
 [1] M. Epstein, "The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics,'', The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics, (2010).   Google Scholar [2] M. Epstein and M. Elzanowski, "Material Inhomogeneities and Their Evolution,'', Material Inhomogeneities and Their Evolution, (2007).   Google Scholar [3] T. Frankel, "The Geometry of Physics,'', The Geometry of Physics, (1997).   Google Scholar [4] J. Marsden and T. J. R. Hughes, "Mathematical Foundations of Elasticity,'', Mathematical Foundations of Elasticity, (1983).   Google Scholar [5] H. Whiteny, "Geometric Integration Theory,'', Geometric Integration Theory, (1957).   Google Scholar

show all references

##### References:
 [1] M. Epstein, "The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics,'', The Geometrical Language of Continuum Mechanics, (2010).   Google Scholar [2] M. Epstein and M. Elzanowski, "Material Inhomogeneities and Their Evolution,'', Material Inhomogeneities and Their Evolution, (2007).   Google Scholar [3] T. Frankel, "The Geometry of Physics,'', The Geometry of Physics, (1997).   Google Scholar [4] J. Marsden and T. J. R. Hughes, "Mathematical Foundations of Elasticity,'', Mathematical Foundations of Elasticity, (1983).   Google Scholar [5] H. Whiteny, "Geometric Integration Theory,'', Geometric Integration Theory, (1957).   Google Scholar
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