Structural Analysis: Understanding Behavior

When teaching structural analysis, some contend that students need broad exposure to many of the classical techniques of analysis, while others argue that learners benefit more from the computer-based analysis experiences that involve parametric studies. Structural Analysis, Understanding Behavior strikes a balance between these viewpoints. Students may no longer need to know every classical technique but they still need a fundamental knowledge of the concepts which come from studying a subset of classical techniques. This foundation is then strengthened by the use of structural analysis software in activities designed to promite self-discovery of structural concepts and behaviors. This text was developed with this goal in mind.

Bryant G. Nielson is the Cottingham Distinguished Professor of Practice in the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering at Clemson University.  He holds a BS and MS in civil engineering from Utah State University and a PhD in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Professor Nielson is an educator at heart. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards and has been actively engaged in teaching structural analysis and other related courses for over a decade – in both traditional and online settings.  He has also worked for several years as a structural designer which has provided context and direction for teaching the discipline of structural engineering to the engineers of the future.

Jack C. McCormac is Alumni Distinguished Professor o Civil Engineering, Emeritus at Clemson University. He holds a BS in civil engineering from the Citadel, an MS in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Doctor of Letters from Clemson University. His contributions to engineering education and the engineering profession have been recognized by many, including the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Institute of Steel Construction, and the American Concrete Institute. Professor McCormac was included in the International Who's Who in Engineering, and was named by the Engineering News-Record as one of the top 125 engineers or architects in the world in the last 125 years for his contributions to the construction industry. He was one of only two educators living in the world today to receive this honor.
Professor McCormac belongs to the American Society of Civil Engineers and served as the principal civil engineering grader for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying for many years.