This paper analyzes recent qualitative methods for partial differential equations which are suitable for the analysis of complex bifurcations which may occur in nonlinear engineering systems. We are particularly concerned with flow induced oscillations which occur in, for example, galloping transmission lines or panel flutter and related vibration problems.
We shall present a general framework for the analysis of these problems with the aim of extracting qualitative information, such as the existence and number of periodic orbits or rest points and their stability.
