Engineering Mechanics for Structures

Structural mechanics is usually studied under the field of applied mechanics. It is the methodological investigation of the deformations, deflections, and internal forces or stresses (stress equivalents) within structures. Structural analysis and design plays an instrumental role in generating a structure that is capable of resisting all applied loads without failure during its intended life. Mechanics for structures is a field of study that examines the behavior of structures under mechanical loads, such as bending of a beam, buckling of a column, torsion of a shaft, deflection of a thin shell, and vibration of a bridge. There are three basic approaches to the mechanical structures analysis, namely, the energy methods, flexibility method, and the direct stiffness method. These methods later developed into finite element method and the plastic analysis approach. The book studies and analyses the most significant concepts and aspects of engineering mechanics for structures. It will serve as an essential guide for both undergraduate and graduate students of civil engineering and engineering mechanics.