The study of structural instability plays a role of primary importance in the field of applied mechanics. Despite the remarkable progresses made in the recent past years, the structural instability remains one of the most challenging topics in applied - chanics. Many problems have bee:: solved in the last decades but still many others remain to be solved satisfactorily. The increasing number of papers published in jo- nals and conferences organized by ECCS, SSRC, IUTAM, and EUROMECH strongly indicates the interest of scientists and engineers in the subject. A careful examination of these publications shows that they tend to fall into one of the two categories. The first is that of practical design direction in which methods for analyzing specific stability problems related to some specific structural typologies are developed. The research works are restricted to determining the critical load, considering that it is sufficient to know the limits of stability range. These studies are invaluable since their aim is to provide solutions to practical problems, to supply the designer with data useful for design and prepare norms, specifications and codes. The second direction is that of theoretical studies, aiming at a mathematical modeling of the instability problems, for a better understanding of the phenomena. In these studies, special emphasis is placed on the behavior of structures after the loss of stability in the post-critical range. This approach is less familiar to designers as its results have not yet become part of current structural design practice.

The study of structural analysis and design is a central subject in civil, aeronautical, and mechanical engineering. This book presents a modern and unified introduction to structural analysis, with a strong emphasis on how structures actually behave. The unifying theme is the application of energy methods, developed without the formal mathematics of the calculus of variations. The energy approach makes it possible to articulate the logical relationship between equilibrium and compatibility; emphasize the unity of structural analysis, particularly for indeterminate structures; and identify the roles of idealization and discretization in structural modeling. Thus, energy methods also serve as a prelude to the main ideas behind modern computational approaches to structural analysis and design. As an aid to upper-level undergraduate students in mastering this material, the text includes numerous worked examples, as well as homework problems.

When a structure is put under an increasing compressive load, it becomes unstable and buckling occurs. Buckling is a particularly significant concern in designing shell structures such as aircraft, automobiles, ships, or bridges. This book discusses stability analysis and buckling problems and offers practical tools for dealing with uncertainties that exist in real systems. The techniques are based on two complementary theories which are developed in the text. First, the probabilistic theory of stability is presented, with particular emphasis on reliability. Both theoretical and computational issues are discussed. Secondly, the authors present the alternative to probability based on the notion of 'anti-optimization', a theory that is valid when the necessary information for probabilistic analysis is absent, that is, when only scant data are available. Design engineers, researchers, and graduate students in aerospace, mechanical, marine, and civil engineering who are concerned with issues of structural integrity will find this book a useful reference source.

Composites are used extensively in engineering applications. A constant concern is the effect of foreign object impacts on composite structures because significant damage can occur and yet be undetectable by visual inspection. Such impacts can range from the most ordinary at low velocity - a tool dropped on a product - to the hypervelocity impact of space debris on a spacecraft. This book explains how damage develops during impact, the effect of impact-induced damage on the mechanical behavior of structures, and methods of damage prediction and detection. Numerous examples are included to illustrate these topics. Written for graduate students, as well as researchers and practising engineers working with composite materials, this book presents state-of-the-art knowledge on impact dynamics while requiring only basic understanding of the mechanics of composite materials.

Written by a leader on the subject, Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering is first introductory geotechnical engineering textbook to cover both saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics. Destined to become the next leading text in the field, this book presents a new approach to teaching the subject, based on fundamentals of unsaturated soils, and extending the description of applications of soil mechanics to a wide variety of topics. This groundbreaking work features a number of topics typically left out of undergraduate geotechnical courses.

The Geotechnical Engineering Investigation Handbook provides the tools necessary for fusing geological characterization and investigation with critical analysis for obtaining engineering design criteria. The second edition updates this pioneering reference for the 21st century, including developments that have occurred in the twenty years since the first edition was published, such as: Remotely sensed satellite imagery Global positioning systems (GPS) Geophysical exploration Cone penetrometer testing Earthquake studies Digitizing of data recording and retrieval Field and laboratory testing and instrumentation Use of the Internet for data retrieval. Geotechnical Engineering Investigation Handbook, Second Edition is a comprehensive guide to a complete investigation: study to predict geologic conditions; test-boring procedures; various geophysical methods and when each is appropriate; various methods to determine engineering properties of materials, both laboratory-based and in situ; and formulating design criteria based on the results of the analysis. identification and description of the elements of the geologic environment, the data required for analysis and design of the engineering works, and procuring the data. By using a practical approach to problem solving, this book helps engineers consider geological phenomena in terms of the degree of their hazard and the potential risk of their occurrence.

PENGUIN SCIENCE

For those who find difficulty in communicating with engineers, Professor Gordon is a godsend

His The Science of Strong Materials made plain the secrets of materials science, and now with this volume he explains the importance and properties of different structures in a way, which will appeal to everyone.

Engineers will of course understand why the Greeks took the wheels off their chariots at night, why we get lumbago, why birds have feathers and how much science is involved in dressmaking as well as the strength of bridges, boats and aeroplanes. Professor Gordon explains all these things, showing how the need to be strong and to support various loads has influenced the development of all sorts of creatures and devices - including man. Lively and informative, this book describes the structural element in nature, technology and everyday life from modern viewpoints.

The spectacular structures of today, such as large suspension bridges, are the result of scientific principles established during the new iron age of the nineteenth century. The book is concerned with a detailed and critical account of the development and application of those principles (including statics and elasticity) by people of remarkable talent in applied mathematics and engineering. They were, of course, mainly motivated by the demands of the railway, construction boom. Among the outstanding examples chosen by the author is Robert Stephenson’s use of novel principles for the design and erection of the Britannia tubular iron bridge over the Menai Straits. A History of the Theory of Structures in the Nineteenth Century is a uniquely comprehensive account of a century of the development of the theory; an account which skilfully blends the personalities and the great works and which is enlivened by little-known accounts of friendship and controversy.

Beam theories are exploited worldwide to analyze civil, mechanical, automotive, and aerospace structures. Many beam approaches have been proposed during the last centuries by eminent scientists such as Euler, Bernoulli, Navier, Timoshenko, Vlasov, etc. Most of these models are problem dependent: they provide reliable results for a given problem, for instance a given section and cannot be applied to a different one.

"Beam Structures: Classical and Advanced Theories" proposes a new original unified approach to beam theory that includes practically all classical and advanced models for beams and which has become established and recognised globally as the most important contribution to the field in the last quarter of a century.

The Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF) has hierarchical properties, that is, the error can be reduced by increasing the number of the unknown variables. This formulation is extremely suitable for computer implementations and can deal with most typical engineering challenges. It overcomes the problem of classical formulae that require different formulas for tension, bending, shear and torsion; it can be applied to any beam geometries and loading conditions, reaching a high level of accuracy with low computational cost, and can tackle problems that in most cases are solved by employing plate/shell and 3D formulations.

Key features: compares classical and modern approaches to beam theory, including classical well-known results related to Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theoriespays particular attention to typical applications related to bridge structures, aircraft wings, helicopters and propeller bladesprovides a number of numerical examples including typical Aerospace and Civil Engineering problemsproposes many benchmark assessments to help the reader implement the CUF if they wish to do soaccompanied by a companion website hosting dedicated software MUL2 that is used to obtain the numerical solutions in the book, allowing the reader to reproduce the examples given in the book as well as to solve other problems of their own www.mul2.com

Researchers of continuum mechanics of solids and structures and structural analysts in industry will find this book extremely insightful. It will also be of great interest to graduate and postgraduate students of mechanical, civil and aerospace engineering.

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is defined as the use of on-structure sensing system to monitor the performance of the structure and evaluate its health state. Recent bridge failures, such as the collapses of the 1-35W Highway Bridge in USA, the collapse of the Can Tho Bridge in Vietnam and the Xijiang River Bridge in the Mainland China, all of which happened in the year 2007, have alerted the importance of structural health monitoring. This book presents a background of SHM technologies together with its latest development and successful applications. It is a book launched to celebrate the establishment of the Australian Network of Structural Health Monitoring (ANSHM). The network comprising leading SHM experts in Australia promotes and advances SHM research, application, education and development in Australia.

Elastic shells are pervasive in everyday life. Examples of these thin-walled structures range from automobile hoods to basketballs, veins and arteries, and soft drink cans. This book explains shell theory, with numerous examples and applications. This second edition not only brings all the material of the first edition entirely up to date; it also adds two entirely new chapters on general shell theory and general membrane theory. Aerospace, mechanical, and civil engineers, as well as applied mathematicians, will find this book a clearly written and thorough information source on shell theory.

Elastic structures, conceived as slender bodies able to transmit loads, have been studied by scientists and engineers for centuries. By the seventeenth century several useful theories of elastic structures had emerged, with applications to civil and mechanical engineering problems. In recent years improved mathematical tools have extended applications into new areas such as geomechanics and biomechanics. This book, first published in 1998, offers a critically filtered collection of the most significant theories dealing with elastic slender bodies. It includes mathematical models involving elastic structures, which are used to solve practical problems with particular emphasis on nonlinear problems. This collection of interesting and important problems in elastic structures will appeal to a broad range of scientists, engineers and graduate students working in the area of structural mechanics.

A complete review of the fast-developing topic of high performance concrete (HPC) by one of the leading researchers in the field. It covers all aspects of HPC from materials, properties and technology, to construction and testing. The book will be valuable for all concrete technologists and construction engineers wishing to take advantage of the remarkable properties of the material.

While the static behavior of concrete has been the subject of numerous works, the same cannot be said for the dynamic behavior. This book sets out to remedy this situation: it begins by presenting the most frequently used experimental techniques in the study of the dynamic behavior of concrete, then continues by examining seismicity and seismic behavior, soil behavior, models of concrete structures subject to seismic activity, seismic calculation methods of structures, and paraseismic engineering.

A comprehensive overview of managing and assessing safety and functionality of ageing offshore structures and pipelines A significant proportion, estimated at over 50%, of the worldwide infrastructure of offshore structures and pipelines is in a life extension phase and is vulnerable to ageing processes. This book captures the central elements of the management of ageing offshore structures and pipelines in the life extension phase. The book gives an overview of: the relevant ageing processes and hazards; how ageing processes are managed through the life cycle, including an overview of structural integrity management; how an engineer should go about assessing a structure that is to be operated beyond its original design life, and how ageing can be mitigated for safe and effective continued operation. Key Features: Provides an understanding of ageing processes and how these can be mitigated. Applies engineering methods to ensure that existing structures can be operated longer rather than decommissioned unduly prematurely. Helps engineers performing these tasks in both evaluating the existing structures and maintaining ageing structures in a safe manner. The book gives an updated summary of current practice and research on the topic of the management of ageing structures and pipelines in the life extension phase but also meets the needs of structural engineering students and practicing offshore and structural engineers in oil & gas and engineering companies. In addition, it should be of value to regulators of the offshore industry.

A presentation of the theory behind the Rayleigh-Ritz (R-R) method, as well as a discussion of the choice of admissible functions and the use of penalty methods, including recent developments such as using negative inertia and bi-penalty terms. While presenting the mathematical basis of the R-R method, the authors also give simple explanations and analogies to make it easier to understand. Examples include calculation of natural frequencies and critical loads of structures and structural components, such as beams, plates, shells and solids. MATLAB codes for some common problems are also supplied.

This book is the most comprehensive book you will find on AutoCAD 2017 - 2D Drafting. Covering all of the 2D concepts, it uses both metric and imperial units to illustrate the myriad drawing and editing tools for this popular application. Use the companion CD to set up drawing exercises and projects and see all of the book's figures in color. AutoCAD 2017 Beginning and Intermediate includes over 100 exercises or "mini-workshops," that complete small projects from concept through actual plotting. Solving all of the workshops will simulate the creation of three projects (architectural and mechanical) from beginning to end, without overlooking any of the basic commands and functions in AutoCAD 2017.

Monitoring is a subject of particular importance to underground construction works. It is often a key risk mitigation measure both for the control of the construction process and the protection of existing assets affected by excavations. The subject is treated at the level of key principles, focusing on objective setting, strategic planning and the high level specification of monitoring systems. It aims to help avoid problems, which have in the past arisen due to omissions in these areas. This guide is structured to reflect the key stages in a project. It starts with objective setting and then addresses requirements for system planning, specification, design, operation and management. It also seeks to highlight the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders at each stage. Six illustrative case studies taken from a range of projects of different scales highlight the critical role of strategic and well-planned monitoring programmes in the success of any underground construction project.

"Structural Timber Design to Eurocode 5" provides practising engineers and specialist contractors with comprehensive, detailed information and in-depth guidance on the design of timber structures based on the common rules and rules for buildings in Eurocode 5 - Part 1-1. It will also be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students of civil and structural engineering.

It provides a step-by-step approach to the design of all of the commonly used timber elements and connections using solid timber, glued laminated timber or wood based structural products, and incorporates the requirements of the UK National Annex. It covers: strength and stiffness properties of timber and its reconstituted and engineered productskey requirements of Eurocode 0, Eurocode 1 and Eurocode 5 - Part 1-1design of beams and columns of solid timber, glued laminated, composite and thin-webbed sectionslateral stability requirements of timber structuresdesign of mechanical connections subjected to lateral and/or axial forcesdesign of moment resisting rigid and semi-rigid connectionsracking design of multi-storey platform framed walls

Featuring numerous detailed worked examples, the second edition has been thoroughly updated and includes information on the consequences of amendments and revisions to EC5 published since the first edition, and the significant additional requirements of BSI non contradictory, complimentary information document (PD 6693-1-1) relating to EC5. The new edition also includes a new section on axial stress conditions in composite sections, covering combined axial and bending stress conditions and reference to the major revisions to the design procedure for glued laminated timber.

Project management lessons learned on the Big Dig, America's biggest megaproject, by a core member responsible for its daily operations

In "Megaproject Management," a central member of the Big Dig team reveals the numerous risks, challenges, and accomplishments of the most complex urban infrastructure project in the history of the United States. Drawing on personal experience and interviews with project engineers, executive oversight commission officials, and core managers, the author, a former deputy counsel and risk manager for the Big Dig, develops new insights as she describes the realities of day-to-day management of the project from a project manager's perspective.

The book incorporates both theory and practice and is therefore highly recommended to policymakers, academics, and project management practitioners. Focusing on lessons learned, this insightful coursebook presents the Big Dig as a massive case study in the management of risk, cost, and schedule, particularly the interrelation of technical, legal, political, and social factors. It provides an analysis of the difficulties in managing megaprojects during each phase and over the life span of the project, while delivering useful lessons on why projects go wrong and what can be done to prevent project failure. It also offers new ideas to enhance project management performance and innovation in our global society.

This unique guide: Defines megaproject characteristics and frameworksReviews the Big Dig's history, stakeholders, and governanceExamines the project's management scope, scheduling, and cost management--including project delays and cost overrunsAnalyzes the Big Dig's risk management and quality managementReveals how to build a sustainable project through integration and change introduction

Selected as one of the best books of 2002 by The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Sun-Times

Within days after September 11, 2001, William Langewiesche had secured unique, unrestricted, round-the-clock access to the World Trade Center site. American Ground is a tour of this intense, ephemeral world and those who improvised the recovery effort day by day, and in the process reinvented themselves, discovering unknown strengths and weaknesses. In all of its aspects--emotionalism, impulsiveness, opportunism, territoriality, resourcefulness, and fundamental, cacophonous democracy--Langewiesche reveals the unbuilding to be uniquely American and oddly inspiring, a portrait of resilience and ingenuity in the face of disaster.

Contents: F Transmission Photoelasticity. Integrated Photoelasticity of the General Three-Dimensional Stress State; F Investigation of Three-Dimensional Axis-Symmetrical Problems by the Photoelastic Method; F Photoelastic Coating. Application of Photoelastic Coating at Connecting Points of Bus Undercarriage; F Investigation of Local Stresses in the Mast Frame Uprights of Fork Lift Trucks; F Photoelasticity. Application of Photoplastic Methods in the Field of Forming; Measurement of the Influence of Viscoelastic Response of Materials on Plates by Optical Methods; F Holographic Interferometry and Laser Metrology. Holographic Examination of Cracking in Concrete; F Moire and Optoelectronic Methods. Optical Methods of Strain Measurements Application to Study Biaxial Tension Specimens; F Application of Strain Gauges and Other Electromechanical Transducers.

The purpose of the Structures Notebook is to explain, in the simplest possible terms, about the structure of 'things', and to demonstrate the fact that everything you see and touch, live in and use, living and man-made, has a structure which is acted upon by natural forces and reacts to these forces according to its form and material.

The Structures Notebook was originally written by Tony Hunt as a brief teaching aid for students at the Royal College of Art who had very little, if any, knowledge of physics or structural behaviour. It has now been expanded, and with this second edition, updated, into a more comprehensive book while retaining a simple visual and non-mathematical approach to structures.
The book is divided into seven main sections, in a logical sequence, and is written in simple language. Each section, related to its text, has a comprehensive set of hand-drawn sketches which show, as simply as possible, what the text is about. The book is almost totally non-mathematical since the author believes very strongly that structural behaviour can be understood best by diagrams and simple descriptions and that mathematics for the majority of people interested in design is a barrier. The design of structures is a combination of art and science and to achieve the best solution, concept should always come before calculation.
* Includes a new chapter with twelve further inventive solutions from well-known engineers
* Hundreds of illustrations communicate a clear understanding of the subject, without mathematics
* Comprehensive coverage of key information, with examples and insights from this influential structural engineer

This newly updated book offers a comprehensive introduction to the scope and nature of engineering work, taking a rigorous but common sense approach to the solution of engineering problems. The text follows the planning, modelling and design phases of engineering projects through to implementation or construction, explaining the conceptual framework for undertaking projects, and then providing a range of techniques and tools for solutions. It focuses on engineering design and problem solving, but also involves economic, environmental, social and ethical considerations. This third edition expands significantly on the economic evaluation of projects and also includes a new section on intractable problems and systems, involving a discussion of wicked problems and soft systems methodology as well as the approaches to software development. Further developments include an array of additional interest boxes, worked examples, problems and up-to date references. Case studies and real-world examples are used to illustrate the role of the engineer and especially the methods employed in engineering practice. The examples are drawn particularly from the fields of civil and environmental engineering, but the approaches and techniques are more widely applicable to other branches of engineering. The book is aimed at first-year engineering students, but contains material to suit more advanced undergraduates. It also functions as a professional handbook, covering some of the fundamentals of engineering planning and design in detail.