Building Structures: Understanding the Basics

This is a one-stop book for knowing everything important about building structures. Self-contained and with no prerequisites needed, it is suitable for both general readers and building professionals.

• follow the history of structural understanding;
• grasp the concepts of structural behaviour via step-by-step explanations;
• apply these concepts to a simple building;
• see how these concepts apply to real buildings, from Durham Cathedral to the Bank of China;
• use these concepts to define the design process;
• see how these concepts inform design choices;
• understand how engineering and architecture have diverged, and what effect this had;
• learn to do simple but relevant numerical calculations for actual structures;
• understand when dynamics are important;
• follow the development of progressive collapse prevention;
• enter the world of modern structural theory;
• see how computers can be used for structural analysis;
• learn how to organise and design a successful project.

With more than 500 pages and over 1100 user-friendly diagrams, this book is a must for anyone who would like to understand the fascinating world of structures.

Malcolm Millais is a structural engineer.