The Strength of Materials is the branch of engineering that deals with the deformation and failure of solids when subjected to concentrated or uniformly distributed forces and/or moments. Understanding the strength of materials enables Engineers to calculate the forces that can be safely applied to structures and to select appropriate structural and/or mechanical materials in the required dimensions that can support the applied loads without causing failures in their normal operation.
This book aims to teach the student of engineering schools and/or professional Civil, Mechanical, and Architectural Engineers the fundamental knowledge of the strength of construction materials. This branch of engineering, which is different from the statics of structures, provides the appropriate knowledge for the sizing of the individual components of a structural or mechanical construction made from specific materials.
The book is divided into two parts: (a) the theoretical part, which describes the necessary mathematics and physical concepts required for the study of strength, and (b) the experimental part, which provides the necessary experiments for the study of the strength of a specific construction material.
Particular reference is made to the Myosotis method for studying the bending of beams, which solves beam bending problems without complex mathematics. Several problems are also solved for the understanding of strength concepts, and several unsolved problems are presented that the instructor should assign to students as homework for resolution, which are appropriately evaluated and contribute to the final grade of the course.
