Continuum Damage Mechanics Theory and Application

While no idea is entirely new, it is pretty agreed that the 1958 seminal study of the creep rupture by Lazar M. Kachanov marks the birthday ofwhat we today know as continuum damage mechanics. In thefollowing years the interest in this new branch of continuum mechanics grew beyond the fondest hopes as it became plainly obvious that damage mechanics represents a rational framework for the treatment of a wide range of brittle phenomena.
One of the early enthusiasts and contributors to the development of damage mechanics was also the late professor Anthony Sawczuk, former rector of C/SM. It was indeed he who in 1983 broached the idea of organizing a course like this under the auspices of CISM. He planned to take an active participation in the course and only his untimely death prevented him from helping us in this venture. We missed his knowledge and his encouragement.
As organizers we attempted to present a balanced view of this rap'idly developing field. We reached far and wide geographically and sought peop/e with different opinions and interests. We were sorry that the limits on the number of lectures prevented us from invit ing many other worthy researchers in this field.