Structural Analysis: A Historical Approach

This volume provides a concise, historical review of the methods of structural analysis and design--from Galileo in the seventeenth century, to the present day. Through it, students in structural engineering and professional engineers will gain a deeper understanding of the theory behind the modern software packages they use daily in structural design. This book also offers the reader a lucid examination of the process of structural analysis and how it relates to modern design. The first three chapters cover questions about the strength of materials, and how to calculate local effects. An account is then given of the development of the equations of elastic flexure and buckling, followed by a separate chapter on masonry arches. Three chapters on the overall behavior of elastic structures lead to a discussion of plastic behavior, and a final chapter indicates that there are still problems needing solution.