Continuum Methods of Physical Modeling

The book unifies classical continuum mechanics and turbulence modeling, i.e. the same fundamental concepts are used to derive model equations for material behaviour and turbulence closure and complements these with methods of dimensional analysis. The intention is to equip the reader with the ability to understand the complex nonlinear modeling in material behaviour and turbulence closure as well as to derive or invent his own models. Examples are mostly taken from environmental physics and geophysics.The authors give an introduction into continuum thermomechanics, the methods of dimensional analysis and turbulence modeling. All these themes belong today to the everyday working method of not only environmental physicists but equally also those engineers, who are confronted with continuous systems of solid and fluid mechanics, soil mechanics and generally the mechanics and thermodynamics of heterogeneous systems. Here the reader finds a rigorous mathematical presentation of the material which is also seen as the foundation for environmentally related physics like oceanography, limnology, glaciology, climate dynamics and other topics in geophysics. Even though it is hoped that the book will also be used as a source book by researchers in the broad field of continuum physics, its intention is essentially to form a basis for teaching for upper level students majoring in mechanics, mathematics, physics and the classical engineering sciences. The intention is to equip the reader with the ability to understand the complex nonlinear modeling in material behaviour and turbulence closure as well as to derive or invent his own models.