Mechanical engineering. an engineering discipline borne of the needs of the in­ dustrial revolution. is once again asked to do its substantial share in the call for industrial renewal. The general call is urgent as we face profound issues of produc­ tivity and competitiveness that require engineering solutions. among others. The Mechanical Engineering Series features graduate texts and research monographs intended to address the need for information in contemporary areas of mechanical engineering. The series is conceived as a comprehensive one that covers a broad range of concentrations important to mechanical engineering graduate education and re­ search. We are fortunate to have a distinguished roster of consulting editors on the advisory board. each an expert in one the areas of concentration. The names of the consulting editors are listed on the facing page of this volume. The areas of concentration are: applied mechanics; biomechanics; computational mechan­ ics; dynamic systems and control; energetics; mechanics of materials; processing; thermal science; and tribology.

1 Spectral Analysis of Wave Motion.- 1.1 Continuous Fourier Transforms.- 1.2 Discrete Fourier Transform.- 1.3 Examples Using the FFT Algorithm.- 1.4 Experimental Aspects of Wave Signals.- 1.5 Spectral Analysis of Wave Motion.- 1.6 Propagating and Reconstructing Waves.- Problems.- 2 Longitudinal Waves in Rods.- 2.1 Elementary Rod Theory.- 2.2 Basic Solution for Waves in Rods.- 2.3 Dissipation in Rods.- 2.4 Coupled Thermoelastic Waves.- 2.5 Reflections and Transmissions.- 2.6 Distributed Loading.- Problems.- 3 Flexural Waves in Beams.- 3.1 Bernoulli-Euler Beam Theory.- 3.2 Basic Solution for Waves in Beams.- 3.3 Bernoulli-Euler Beam with Constraints.- 3.4 Reflection of Flexural Waves.- 3.5 Curved Beams and Rings.- 3.6 Coupled Beam Structure.- Problems.- 4 Higher-Order Waveguides.- 4.1 Waves in Infinite Media.- 4.2 Semi-Infinite Media.- 4.3 Doubly Bounded Media.- 4.4 Doubly Bounded Media: Lamb Waves.- 4.5 Hamilton's Principle.- 4.6 Modified Beam Theories.- 4.7 Modified Rod Theories.- Problems.- 5 The Spectral Element Method.- 5.1 Structures as Connected Waveguides.- 5.2 Spectral Element for Rods.- 5.3 Spectral Element for Beams.- 5.4 General Frame Structures.- 5.5 Structural Applications.- 5.6 Waveguides with Varying Cross Section.- 5.7 Spectral Super-Elements.- 5.8 Impact Force Identification.- Problems.- 6 Waves in Thin Plates.- 6.1 Plate Theory.- 6.2 Point Impact of a Plate.- 6.3 Wavenumber Transform Solution.- 6.4 Waves Reflected from a Straight Edge.- 6.5 Scattering of Flexural Waves.- 6.6 Lateral Boundary Conditions.- 6.7 Curved Plates and Shells.- Problems.- 7 Structure-Fluid Interaction.- 7.1 Acoustic Wave Motion.- 7.2 Plate-Fluid Interaction.- 7.3 Double Panel Systems.- 7.4 Waveguide Modeling.- 7.5 Radiation from Finite Plates.- 7.6 Cylindrical Cavity.-Problems.- 8 Thin-Walled Structures.- 8.1 Membrane Spectral Elements.- 8.2 Spectral Elements for Flexure.- 8.3 Folded Plate Structures.- 8.4 Structural Applications.- 8.5 Segmented Cylindrical Shells.- 8.6 Future of Spectral Elements.- Problems.- Afterword.- Appendix: Bessel Functions.- References.