Recently a new research stimulus has derived from the observation that soft structures such
as biological systems but also rubber and gel may work in a post critical regime where
elastic elements are subject to extreme deformations though still exhibiting excellent
mechanical performances. This is the realm of ¿extreme mechanics¿ to which this book is
addressed. The possibility of exploiting highly deformable structures opens new and unexpected
technological possibilities. In particular the challenge is the design of deformable and
bi-stable mechanisms which can reach superior mechanical performances and can have a strong
impact on several high-tech applications including stretchable electronics nanotube
serpentines deployable structures for aerospace engineering cable deployment in the ocean
but also sensors and flexible actuators and vibration absorbers. Readers are introduced to a
variety of interrelated topics involving the mechanics of extremely deformable structures with
emphasis on bifurcation instability and nonlinear behavior both in the quasi-static and
dynamic regimes. Essential and up-to-date theoretical numerical and experimental methodologies
are covered as a tool to progress towards a satisfactory modeling of the nonlinear behavior of
structures.
