Applied Strength of Materials

Objectives of the Book Applied Strength of Materials,Fourth Edition, provides a comprehensive coverage of the important topics in strength of materials with an emphasis on applications, problem solving, and design of structural members, mechanical devices, and systems. The book is written for the student in a course called Strength of Materials, Mechanics of Materials, or Solid Mechanics in an engineering technology program at the baccalaureate or associate degree level, or in an applied engineering program. It is the intent of this book to provide good readability for the student, appropriate coverage of the principles of strength of materials for the faculty member teaching the subject, and a problem solving and design approach that is useful for the practicing designer or engineer. Educational programs in the mechanical, civil, construction, and manufacturing fields should find the book to be suitable for an introductory course in strength of materials. Style There is a heavy emphasis on theapplicationsof the principles of strength of materials to mechanical, structural, and construction problems while providing a firm foundation of understanding of those principles. At the same time, thelimitationson the use of analysis techniques are emphasized to ensure that they are applied properly. Both analysis and design approaches are used in the book. Units are a mixture of SI Metric and U.S. Customary units, in keeping with the dual usage evident in U.S. industry and construction. Prerequisites Students are expected to be able to apply the principles of statics prior to using this book. For review, there is a summary of the main techniques of the analysis of forces and momentum in the Appendix. Several example problems are included that are similar to the statics needed in practice problems in this book. While not essential, it is recommended that students have completed an introductory course in calculus prior to studying this course. As called for by accrediting agencies, calculus is used to develop the key principles and formulas used in this book. The application of the formulas and most problem solving and design techniques can be accomplished without the use of calculus. Features of the Book The Big Picture.Students should see the relevance of the material they study. They should be able to visualize where devices and systems that they are familiar with depend on the principles of strength of materials. For this reason each chapter starts with a section calledThe Big Picture.Here the basic concepts to be developed in the chapter are identified and students are asked to think about examples from their own experience where these concepts are used. Sometimes they are asked to explore new things on their own to discover how a product works or how it can fail. They are coached to make observations about the behavior of common mechanical devices, vehicles, industrial machinery, consumer products, and structures. Educational philosophy indicates that students learn better and retain more when such methods are employed. Problem-Solving Techniques.Students must also be able to solve real problems, complete the necessary calculations, manipulate units in equations, seek appropriate data, and make good design decisions. The example problems in this book are designed to help students master these processes. In addition, students must learn to communicate the results of their work to others in the field. One important means of communication is the presentation of the problem solutions in an orderly, well-documented manner using established methods. Example problems are set off with a distinctive graphic design and type font. Readers are guided in the process of formulating an approach to problem solving that includes: a)Statement of the objective of the problem b)Summary of the given information [read more]