Mechanics of Swelling From Clays to Living Cells and Tissues [Paperback]

Provided here is up-to-dateand in-depth information on various swelling phenomenaoccurring in living organisms and in the unanimated world.Thebook is arranged in six parts, which cover fundamentals,special topics, analytical and experimental methods andapplications relevant to swelling insoils, cellsand tissues of plants and animals. Specifically, it includesall aspects of osmotic phenomena leading to swelling inclays, cells, tissues, gels, blisters, colloidal systems,surfaces and membranes. Forces between surfactant, lipid andprotein membranes and in polymeric systems are alsoconsidered.Provided here is up-to-dateand in-depth information on various swelling phenomenaoccurring in living organisms and in the unanimated world.Thebook is arranged in six parts, which cover fundamentals,special topics, analytical and experimental methods andapplications relevant to swelling insoils, cellsand tissues of plants and animals. Specifically, it includesall aspects of osmotic phenomena leading to swelling inclays, cells, tissues, gels, blisters, colloidal systems,surfaces and membranes. Forces between surfactant, lipid andprotein membranes and in polymeric systems are alsoconsidered.1. Swelling in Soils.- Flow and volume change in soils and other porous media, and in tissues.- Water movement and volume change in swelling systems.- Thermodynamics of soils swelling non-hydrostatically.- Operational aspects of the mechanics of deforming porous media: theory and application to expansive soils.- The osmotic role in the behaviour of swelling clay soils.- 2. Plant Growth.- Osmotic adjustment in plant cells exposed to drought and temperature stress: can a cause and effect hypothesis be formulated and tested?.- On the kinematics and dynamics of plant growth.- Regeneration in the root apex: Modelling study by means of the growth tensor.- Daily variations of stem and branch diameter:Short overview from a developed example.- Physical principles olS&