Theory of Structures - Part I

The structures are solid bodies to which we ask to bear in safety the mechanical and/or thermal applied load. At times, we also wonder to them to contain some displacements within limits fixed in advance.

When the load applied on the structure doesn't vary in the time, we say that it deals with a problem of Statics. If the load is varying in the time, we say that it deals with a problem of Dynamics.

This book furnishes the fundamental notions of the Statics. It constantly deals with the matters in exhaustive but clear way, within the classical Physics and the classical Mathematical Analysis. It mainly wants to make available to the Engineer all the necessary operational tools to correctly formulate and to resolve whatever problem of Statics, related to structures of elevated complexity also. This book reflects the numerous courses in Theory of structures held by the Author at the "La Sapienza" and "Roma Tre" Universities of Rome. Great emphasis is given to the displacement method, on which the automatic calculation of structures is based, and ample space is also given to traditional structural calculation methods, which are still very important for a full understanding of the problem.