Karl-Eugen Kurrer

This book traces the evolution of theory of structures and strength of materials - the development of the geometrical thinking of the Renaissance to become the fundamental engineering science discipline rooted in classical mechanics. Starting with the strength experiments of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo, the author examines the emergence of individual structural analysis methods and their formation into theory of structures in the 19th century. For the first time, a book of this kind outlines the development from classical theory of structures to the structural mechanics and computational mechanics of the 20th century. In doing so, the author has managed to bring alive the differences between the players with respect to their engineering and scientific profiles and personalities, and to create an understanding for the social context. Brief insights into common methods of analysis, backed up by historical details, help the reader gain an understanding of the history of structural mechanics from the standpoint of modern engineering practice. A total of 175 brief biographies of important personalities in civil and structural engineering as well as structural mechanics plus an extensive bibliography round off this work.

From Arch Analysis to Computational Mechanics

The History of the Theory of Structures

Werner Lorenz

Bill Addis

Physical models have been, and continue to be used by engineers when faced with unprecedented challenges, when engineering science has been non-existent or inadequate, and in any other situation when the engineer has needed to raise their confidence in a design proposal to a sufficient level to begin construction. For this reason, models have mostly been used by designers and constructors of highly innovative projects, when previous experience has not been available. The book covers the history of using of physical models in the design and development of civil and building engineering projects including bridges in the mid-18th century, William Fairbairn?s Britannia bridge in the 1840s, the masonry Aswan Dam in the 1890s, concrete dams in the 1920s, thin concrete shell roofs and the dynamic behaviour of tall buildings in earthquakes from the 1930s, tidal flow in estuaries and the acoustics of concert halls from the 1950s, and cable-net and membrane structures in the 1960s. Traditionally, progress in engineering has been attributed to the creation and use of engineering science, the understanding materials properties and the development of new construction methods. The book argues that the use of reduced scale models have played an equally important part in the development of civil and building engineering. However, like the history of engineering design itself, this crucial contribution has not been widely reported or celebrated. The book concludes with reviews of the current use of physical models alongside computer models, for example, in boundary layer wind tunnels, room acoustics, seismic engineering, hydrology, and air flow in buildings.

Their historical and current use in civil and building engineering design

Physical Models

Was wissen Bauingenieure heute über die Herkunft der Baustatik? Wann und welcherart setzte das statische Rechnen im Entwurfsprozess ein? Wir ahnen wohl, dass die Entwicklung von Berechnungsmethoden und -verfahren im engen Zusammenhang mit der Entdeckung neuer Baumaterialien und der Hervorbringung und Entfaltung von Tragformen stehen. Das vorliegende Buch zeichnet die Entstehung von Statik und Festigkeitslehre als die Entwicklung vom geometrischen Denken der Renaissance über die klassische Mechanik bis hin zur modernen Strukturmechanik nach. Eine Einführung eröffnet mit kurzen Einblicken in zwölf verbreitete Berechnungsverfahren den Zugang zu über 500 Jahren Geschichte der Baustatik aus der Berechnungspraxis der Gegenwart. Beginnend mit den Festigkeitsbetrachtungen von Leonardo und Galilei wird der Herausbildung einzelner baustatischer Verfahren und ihrer Formierung zur Baustatik nachgegangen. Dabei gelingt es dem Autor auch, die Unterschiedlichkeit der Akteure hinsichtlich ihrer technisch-wissenschaftlichen Profile und ihrer Persönlichkeiten plastisch zu schildern und das Verständnis für den jeweiligen gesellschaftshistorischen Kontext zu erzeugen. 243 Kurzporträts maßgeblicher Protagonisten der Mechanik, Mathematik, des Maschinen- und Flugzeugbaus und der Baustatik sowie eine umfangreiche Bibliografie machen das Werk zusätzlich zu einer unschätzbaren Fundgrube. Mit diesem Buch liegt der Fachwelt das einzige geschlossene Werk über die Geschichte der Baustatik vor. Es lädt den Leser zur Entdeckung der Wurzeln der modernen Rechenmethoden ein. Die 1. Auflage von 2002 war schnell vergriffen. Für die 2. Auflage ergänzte der Autor sein Werk um wichtige Reisen in die Geschichte der Disziplinbildung: Erddrucktheorie, Traglastverfahren, historische Lehrbuchanalyse, Stahlbrückenbau, Schalentheorie, Computerstatik, Finite-Elemente-Methode, Computergestützte Graphostatik, Historische Technikwissenschaft.

Auf der Suche nach dem Gleichgewicht

Geschichte der Baustatik

Ten years after the publication of the first English edition of The History of the Theory of Structures, Dr. Kurrer now gives us a much enlarged second edition with a new subtitle: Searching for Equilibrium. The author invites the reader to take part in a journey through time to explore the equilibrium of structures. That journey starts with the emergence of the statics and strength of materials of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo, and reaches its first climax with Coulomb's structural theories for beams, earth pressure and arches in the late 18th century. Over the next 100 years, Navier, Culmann, Maxwell, Rankine, Mohr, Castigliano and Müller-Breslau moulded theory of structures into a fundamental engineering science discipline that - in the form of modern structural mechanics - played a key role in creating the design languages of the steel, reinforced concrete, aircraft, automotive and shipbuilding industries in the 20th century. In his portrayal, the author places the emphasis on the formation and development of modern numerical engineering methods such as FEM and describes their integration into the discipline of computational mechanics. Brief insights into customary methods of calculation backed up by historical facts help the reader to understand the history of structural mechanics and earth pressure theory from the point of view of modern engineering practice. This approach also makes a vital contribution to the teaching of engineers. Dr. Kurrer manages to give us a real feel for the different approaches of the players involved through their engineering science profiles and personalities, thus creating awareness for the social context. The 260 brief biographies convey the subjective aspect of theory of structures and structural mechanics from the early years of the modern era to the present day. Civil and structural engineers and architects are well represented, but there are also biographies of mathematicians, physicists, mechanical engineers and aircraft and ship designers. The main works of these protagonists of theory of structures are reviewed and listed at the end of each biography. Besides the acknowledged figures in theory of structures such as Coulomb, Culmann, Maxwell, Mohr, Müller-Breslau, Navier, Rankine, Saint-Venant, Timoshenko and Westergaard, the reader is also introduced to G. Green, A. N. Krylov, G. Li, A. J. S. Pippard, W. Prager, H. A. Schade, A. W. Skempton, C. A. Truesdell, J. A. L. Waddell and H. Wagner. The pioneers of the modern movement in theory of structures, J. H. Argyris, R. W. Clough, T. v. Kármán, M. J. Turner and O. C. Zienkiewicz, are also given extensive biographical treatment. A huge bibliography of about 4,500 works rounds off the book. New content in the second edition deals with earth pressure theory, ultimate load method, an analysis of historical textbooks, steel bridges, lightweight construction, theory of plates and shells, Green's function, computational statics, FEM, computer-assisted graphical analysis and historical engineering science. The number of pages now exceeds 1,200 - an increase of 50% over the first English edition. This book is the first all-embracing historical account of theory of structures from the 16th century to the present day.

Karl-Eugen Kurrer

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