Extraordinary advances have been made in the fundamental principles and computational mathematics required to solve boundary integral equations using computers since the first paper concerning Boundary Elements was published nearly a quarter of a century ago. Towards the second half of the 1990s, the BEM was not only made into a reliable tool but also emerged as the best technique to solve a variety of problems such as those in damage mechanics. The scientific and engineering communities interest in the BEM is now reflected in the increased number of meetings and conferences related to the technique as well as the wider use of the method in engineering practice.

Containing papers first presented at the latest in the established and highly successful Boundary Elements Methods international conference series, this volume provides indispensable information for the currently emerging generation of BEM analysts.

Almost sixty contributions from scientists working around the world are featured and these are divided under the following headings: Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue; Elastic and Inelastic Problems; Numerical and Computational Techniques; Inverse Problems; Heat Transfer; Fluid Mechanics; Composite Materials; Plates and Shells; Geomechanics; Electrostatics and Electromagnetics; Fundamental Principles; Wave Propagation Problems; Acoustics; Dual Reciprocity Method and Basis Functions.