Fundamentals of Structural Mechanics
By Keith D. Hjelmstad
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Publisher: Springer
Number Of Pages: 480
Publication Date: 2004-11-12
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 038723330X
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780387233307
Binding: Hardcover
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Book Description:
This volume is an introduction to basic continuum mechanics that emphasizes variational formulations and numeric computation. This provides the prerequisite information for finite elements for graduate and advances undergraduate students in civil and mechanical engineering - a required course for all mechanical and civil engineering students.
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Summary: A Grand Tour of Mechanics - You'll See the Sights but Might Not Learn the Language
Rating: 4
Until you've looked over some of the more advanced solid mechanics texts such as Marsden and Hughes, Love, or Timoshenko, you won't understand the virtues of this book. Likewise, without a cursory knowledge of FEM, you understand the main thrust of this book, which is to teach the student just enough sold/structural mechanics and mathematics that they can approximate the solution using the Ritz method.
The author covers quite a bit of ground in a small amount of space: tensors, tensor calculus, kinematics, equilibrium, constitutive laws, boundary value problems, the Ritz method, beams, plates, energy methods, stability, and nonlinear solution techniques. Dr. Hjelmstad introduces these topics to the reader with lucid prose, and he always gives a physical, logical, or practical justification for the mathematical gymnastics to come. By concentrating on the big ideas, the reader does not drown an abyss of algebra. The author's clear, direct style is perhaps the most attractive feature for students new to solid mechanics, but because so much is covered in this book, the advanced student will find ideas expanded in later books but in context here.
These are the main virtues of the book - it is also the main vice, because the practical step of solving solid mechanics problems is neglected. There are a few dozen solved examples in the book and a few hundred unsolved problems for the student. Without access to someone who knows how to solve these problems, the abstractions and techniques of the book are almost impossible to grasp. It would be a crime to interrupt the flow of the book, but an appendix with solution techniques, methods, and more worked problems for each chapter would be a major improvement as the book doesn't even include answers to selected problems. I have a few other minor gripes: the index isn't nearly long enough; too much time is spent on Timoshenko beams and not enough on Bernoulli-Euler beams (especially regarding boundary conditions), and small strain linear elasticity is stressed almost exclusively.
If you're a beginning student in structural mechanics looking for something more than Mohr's Circle and know someone to assist you in solving the problems, this is an excellent choice. If you want to know the very basic foundation of the computational structural mechanics, you'll want to read this book. If you want to know how to solve these problems, then you probably need to look elsewhere.
Summary: Check out the Second Edition!
Rating: 5
The second edition of this book is better than the first edition! There are lots more examples in the text and problems at the ends of the chapters. The coverage of many of the topics has been expanded. A quick read will make it clear that the book got a pretty substantial overhaul for the second edition. If you are serious about structural mechanics you will want to have this book.
Summary: Great book
Rating: 5
For those who want a book for introductionary mechanics, go elsewhere. As the other reviewer said, this book is not about Mohr's Circle. This book lays a strong foundation for the study of finite element methods in solid mechanics and to other areas of numerical analysis of solid mechanics. The narrative is clear and in just enough detail to keep the student interested. Over complication of the subject matter and drag are avoided by, for instance, avoiding inclusions of simple derivations that can be performed by the reader himself, should he understand the previous chapters.
I am hope Dr.Hjelmstad admits only advanced undergrads and grad students to his course based on this book. It is sure to go way above the heads of lesser students.
Summary: A great book.
Rating: 5
Disregard the two negative reviewers: They should go back to the Mohr's Circle and run around it naked with their thumbs in their mouths. If you really desire to learn the stuff, this is a great book. The author has a unique perspective on teaching mechanics. It is written with flair and finesse; its playful narrative is a rarity in books written on the same topic. It serves as an excellent introduction to continuum mechanics, and finite element methods, and I believe, it fills a previously unoccupied niche-a modern and streamlined treatment of the Fundamentals of Structural Mechanics-rather gracefully.
Summary: Biomedical
Rating: 1
This book should not be considered for an introductory course to mechanics, ever. The text contains very few examples and the problems following each chapter are no easy task, even with 4 hours of lecture a week. The introduction of index noatation and tensors seemed to assume that the reader had some prior knowledge. Also, not all derivations of formulas are given, some are just thrown at your face with little explanation of how they came about.
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