Design Analysis of Structural Elements: Mechanics of Materials Review

[Cyrus]

Hey,

I just bought my book for mechanics of materials from the book store. Apparently its used in teaching statics and mechanics of materials all in one. I already took statics with Hibbeler, and I really did enjoy that book. It was VERY thorough. I looked through this books statics and felt very sad. A good majority of the stuff found in hibbeler was NOT found in this book, and I am willing to bet it will be severly lacking in material on mechanics of materials. I know hibbeler has a book on mech of mat, and I am very inclined to buy that and use this book as a paper weight and to solve the problems for homework only. Has anyone had any experience using this book: "Design analysis of structural elements fourth edition, James W. Dally and Robert J. Bonenberger"

Also, has anyone used hibbelers book on mechanics of materials?

No disrespect to the authors of this book, but they put a really nice hard cover, but when you open it up, the pictures and diagrams look like they were made in MS paint! But the main problem is it looks like it takes a very non rigerous approach to vector analysis. I could not find a single page on moments about a specified axis! YIKES!

I like hibbeler because its almost identical to beer/johnston, and they show good proofs using vectors.

any help is appreciated

Cyrus!

 

[hhegab]

Hi Cyrus,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book "Design Analysis of Structural Elements" and your comparison to Hibbeler's book on mechanics of materials. As an engineering student, I understand the importance of having a thorough and comprehensive textbook that covers all the necessary topics in a clear and rigorous manner.

Based on your review, it seems like the book "Design Analysis of Structural Elements" may not be the best choice for studying mechanics of materials. It's important to have a textbook that covers all the topics and concepts in a detailed and organized manner, especially for subjects like mechanics of materials which require a strong foundation in statics.

I have not personally used the book "Design Analysis of Structural Elements", but I have used Hibbeler's book on mechanics of materials and found it to be very helpful. It covers all the necessary topics and has clear explanations and examples. The inclusion of vector analysis and proofs also adds to the rigor of the book, which is essential for understanding the subject.

In conclusion, I would recommend using Hibbeler's book for studying mechanics of materials and using "Design Analysis of Structural Elements" as a supplementary resource or for solving practice problems. As always, it's important to find the right resources that work best for you and your learning style. Good luck with your studies!