J. E. Gordon (1)Rezensionen

Interesting. Easy to understand. Somewhat old fashioned writing style.

Very interesting book, I learned a lot. Gordon's prose is readable. He is also opinionated and throws in just the right number of anecdotes. I read this book while also watching the "Great Courses" class, "Understanding the World's Greatest Structures," by Stephen Ressler, and think those lectures covered a lot of the same material but with more compelling examples, buildings and bridges.

Indeholder "List of Plates", "Acknowledgements", "Foreword to First Edition", "Foreword to Second Edition", "Chapter 1 - The New Science of strong materials - or how to ask awkward questions", "Part One - Elasticity and the theory of strength", "Chapter 2 - Stresses and strains - or why you don't fall through the floor", "Chapter 3 - Cohesion - or how strong ought materials to be?", "Chapter 4 - Cracks and dislocations - or why things are weak", "Part Two - The non-metallic tradition", "Chapter 5 - Crack-stopping or how to be tough", "Chapter 6 - Timber and cellulose - or Wooden ships and Iron men", "Chapter 7 - Glue and plywood - or mice in the gliders", "Chapter 8 - Composite materials - or how to make bricks with straw", "Part Three - The metallic tradition", "Chapter 9 - Ductility in metals - or the intimate life of the dislocation", "Chapter 10 - Iron and steel - Hepahistos among the Satanic Mills", "Chapter 11 - The materials of the future - or how to have second thoughts", "Appendix 1 - On the various kinds of solids - and what about treacle?", " Note on Conversion of Units", "Appendix 2 - Simple beam formulae - or do your own stressing", "Suggestions for further study", "Index".

Glimrende bog om materialefysik. Lim er fx utrolig interessant i Gordons fremstilling.

Dated now. Too many idiosyncratic tidbits, but, overall useful.

Dated now. Too many idiosyncratic tidbits, but, overall useful.

Structures, or Why Things Don't Fall Down
J.E. Gordon
May 22, 2013

A Folio reprint of a 1978 book on engineering, mostly engineering materials. The author seems to be an engineer possibly summing up his career, with a direct and opinionated voice. He explains technical details artfully, describing Young's modulus of elasticity, mathematics of cantilevers, and the desirable properties of wood. The volume has excellent, but too few photographs, and good stories of structures that were unexpectedly good and spectacularly bad.

Indeholder "List of Plates", "Foreword", "Acknowledgements", "Chapter 1 - The structure of our lives - or how to communicate with engineers", "Part One - The difficult birth of the science of elasticity", "Chapter 2 - Why structures carry loads - or the springiness of solids", "Chapter 3 - The invention of stress and strain - or Baron Cauchy and the decipherment of Young's modulus", "Chapter 4 - Designing for safety - or can you really trust strength calculations?", "Chapter 5 - Strain energy and modern fracture mechanics - with a digression on bows, catapults and kangaroos", "Part Two - Tension Structures", "Chapter 6 - Tension structures and pressure vessels - with some remarks on boilers, bats and Chinese Junks", "Chapter 7 - Joints, fastenings and people - also about creep and chariot wheels", "Chapter 8 - Soft Materials and Living Structures - or how to design a worm", "Part Three - Compression and Bending Structures", "Chapter 9 - Walls, arches and dams - or cloud-capp'd towers and the stability of masonry", "Chapter 10 - Something about Bridges - or Saint Bénezèt and Saint Isambard", "Chapter 11 - The advantage of being a beam - with observations on roofs, trusses and masts", "Chapter 12 - The mysteries of shear and torsion - or Polaris and the bias-cut nightie", "Chapter 13 - The various ways of failing in compression - or sandwiches, skulls and Dr Euler", "Part Four- And the Consequence was...", "Chapter 14 - The philosophy of Design - or the shape, the weight and the cost", "Chapter 15 - A chapter on Accidents - a study in sin, error and metal fatigue", "Chapter 16 - Efficiency and Aesthetics - or the world we have to live in", "Appendix 1 - Handbooks and formulae", "Appendix 2 - Beam theory", "Appendix 3 - Torsion", "Appendix 4 - The efficiency of columns and panels under compression loads", "Suggestions for further study", "Index".

Vældig lærerig og underholdende bog om hvad der holder gulvet oppe under fødderne på folk og taget fra at falde ned

wonderful book! I've been excited about glues ever since I first read it; AND I do my own personal little experiments whenever I see a new one.

Unexpectedly fun to read. The author has a conversational style that is unlike most other science and engineering books. The book was originally written in the 1960's and is a bit dated, despite being updated for the second edition in 1976. The information about material strength is still good, and the discussions about early aircraft, ship, and locomotive design are the best parts.

: A book that simplifies the basics of engineering and I still found it tough reading. I enjoyed the examples he gives, but the general concepts in dry form were hard to comprehend. It still is worth reading in only that it makes you think of the way things are made; natural and man-made.

This book is a model for how to write a hugely entertaining and interesting book on a seemingly mundane topic: Why don't we fall through the floor? This is how science should work: Ask questions about things we take for granted and see if we really know the answer. A must read for anybody interested in engineering and architecture, but also a must read for any aspiring science writer. These days a lot of publishers think science writing has to be about something obviously spectacular (black holes, strings...) to be exciting. Gordon shows that good writing can make any topic hugely interesting - even more so as this is actually relevant to our daily lives.

This was the key book I had to read in the summer before going up to university 28yrs ago to study Materials Science. I'm glad to see it's still in print!

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Contents
List Of Plates
Foreword To First Edition
Foreword To Second Edition
1. The New Science Of Strong Materials
Part 1: Elasticity And The Theory Of Strength
2. Stresses And Strains
3. Cohesion
4. Cracks And Dislocations
Part 2: The Non-Metallic Tradition
5. Crack-Stopping
6. Timber And Cellulose
7. Glue And Plywood
8. Composite Materials
Part 3: The Metallic Tradition
9. Ductility In Metals
10. Iron And Steel
11. The Materials Of The Future
Appendix 1: On The Various Kinds Of Solids
Appendix 2: Simple Beam Formulae

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Contents
List Of Plates
Foreword
Acknowledgements
1. The Structures In Our Lives
Part One: The Difficult Birth Of The Science Of Elasticity
2. Why Structures Carry Loads
3. The Invention Of Stress And Strain
4. Designing For Safety
5. Strain Energy And Modem Fracture Mechanics
Part Two: Tension Structures
6. Tension Structures And Pressure Vessels
7. Joints, Fastenings And People
8. Soft Materials And Living Structures
Part Three: Compression And Bending Structures
9. Walls, Arches And Dam
10. Something About Bridges
11. The Advantage Of Being A Beam
12. The Mysteries Of Shear And Torsion
13. The Various Ways Of Failing In Compression
Part Four: And The Consequence Was . . .
14. The Philosophy Of Design
15. A Chapter Of Accidents
16. Efficiency And Aesthetics
Appendix 1. Handbooks And Formulae
Appendix 2. Beam Theory
Appendix 3. Torsion
Appendix 4. The Efficiency Of Columns And Panels Under Compression Loads
Suggestions For Further Study
Index