ABSTRACT

The text consists of three parts. Part I is about fundamentals that form the cornerstone of the theories of beams, plates, and shells. It has to be reviewed carefully by readers who have never had a modern treatment of this material or who have forgotten it and need a refresher on these topics. This part begins by introducing basic concepts, scope of treatment, some equations of the mechanics of materials and the theory of elasticity in a condensed form, properties of common engineering materials, rational procedure in design, and factor of safety. It then proceeds with stress analysis of bars, beams, and simple pressure vessels. There is also a discussion on material failure criteria. A thorough grasp of the fundamentals will prove of great value in attacking new and unfamiliar problems.