The Structure and Properties of the More Common Materials of Construction

Abstract

THIS volume had its origin in a course of theoretical instruction preparatory to a laboratory course at Sibley College, Cornell University. The first part deals with the elastic theory and the determination of the properties of materials of construction, chiefly metals, by testing. The ordinary rules connecting stress and strain are discussed, but not in general the in struments used in testing. Rather more attention is given to the behaviour of materials strained beyond the elastic limit than in treatises on applied mechanics. Some of the statements are rather too dogmatic. Is the author sure that in a tension test “the break must start at the outside and work inwards” (p. 36)? English engineers will scarcely agree with the statement that “there is not much excuse for the use of the Rankine or Ritter formulas” for columns. It will be new to them to learn that “live loads applied without shock (for example, a rolling load crossing a bridge at low speed) actually set up stresses twice as great as a dead load of the same amount.” The injurious effect of a live load without shock as compared with a dead load is, not that it increases the stresses, but that it causes the “fatigue” effect. Of course, also, it produces shocks, which the author deals with separately. A live load is not a suddenly applied load. Nevertheless, this section is generally clear and useful. The discussion,of the cause of fatigue failure is fuller than usual. No attempt is made to give collections of results of tests.

The Structure and Properties of the More Common Materials of Construction.

By G. B. Upton. Pp. v + 327. (New York: J. Wiley and Sons, Inc.; London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1916.) Price 10s. 6d. net