This volume contains eight contributions on the common theme of masonry construction. The publication coincides with the retirement of Dr Jacques Heyman from his Professorship of Engineering in the University of Cambridge, and Headship of the University's Engineering Department. It is entirely appropriate to have a collection of papers in honour of Professor Heyman at this time; for he has made signal contributions to our understanding of masonry construction over the past thirty years or so. It is no exaggeration to say that he has radically changed the way in which engineers think about masonry structures, particularly in relation to the old ecclesiastical buildings and bridges. Indeed it is hard to imagine what this subject would be like today in the absence of Professor Heyman's seminal papers.

This volume contains eight contributions on the common theme of masonry construction. The publication coincides with the retirement of Dr Jacques Heyman from his Professorship of Engineering in the University of Cambridge, and Headship of the University's Engineering Department. It is entirely appropriate to have a collection of papers in honour of Professor Heyman at this time; for he has made signal contributions to our understanding of masonry construction over the past thirty years or so. It is no exaggeration to say that he has radically changed the way in which engineers think about masonry structures, particularly in relation to the old ecclesiastical buildings and bridges. Indeed it is hard to imagine what this subject would be like today in the absence of Professor Heyman's seminal papers.

Shell structures form key components in a very wide range of engineering enterprise. The theory of shell structures is an old and large subject, with a huge literature. However, this book is not a compilation of results from the past. Instead, it is an attempt to bring the essence of the subject within the grasp of engineers. It tackles the fundamental question of how bending and stretching effects combine and interact in shell structures from a physical point of view; and it shows that this approach leads to an understanding of the structural mechanics of shells in general, and to useful results in particular problems. The first half of the book is concerned mainly with the basic ideas and equations of equilibrium, geometry and elasticity, and their combination in various useful ways. In particular, it includes a simple treatment of the geometry of general curved surfaces. The second half of the book first investigates the behaviour of various practical shell structures under static loading. Then there are chapters on the buckling of shells, on vibration, and on the application of plastic theory to analysis and design.