Structural and stress analysis is a core topic in a range of engineering disciplines ? from structural engineering through to mechanical and aeronautical engineering and materials science.

This novel textbook provides and supports a conceptual understanding of the theories and formulae, and focuses on the basic principles rather than on the formulae and the solution procedures. It emphasises problem solving through a structured series of tutorials and problems which build up students? understanding and encourage both numerical and conceptual approaches. It stands apart from other texts which set out rigorous mathematic derivations of formulae followed by worked examples and questions for practice. Students need to be capable of not only solving a structural problem using formulas, but also of understanding their solutions in practical and physical terms.

Notwithstanding, the book covers a good range of topics: tension and compression; shear; torsion; bending, properties of cross-sections; shear force and bending moment diagrams; stresses in beams; deflection of beams; complex stresses and theories of elastic failure; energy methods; statically indeterminate systems; and structural instability. The new edition includes more topics, such as plastic deformation, dynamics and portal frames and arches, which are essential when students start their design courses. A new chapter introduces the basic theories of plates and shells.

This not only suits undergraduates but is useful for professional engineers who want to get a good grasp of the basic concepts of stress analysis.