BOOK REVIEWS referenced to the sections where an

e x p l a n a t i o n is to be f o u n d .
T h e r e is some i n c o n s i s t e n c y b e t w e e n
t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s of the target reader-
ship and t h e c o n t e n t of C h a p t e r 1,
where the decisions with regard to
Shell and spatial structures engineer- be a w o r t h while acquision for t h o s e e x p l a i n i n g f u n d a m e n t a l c o n c e p t s or
ing, Proceedings of the international i n t e r e s t e d in this field. taking t h e m for g r a n t e d a p p e a r to be
symposium on shell and spatial Phillip L. Gould s o m e w h a t arbitrary. Some readers
structures, COPPE, Federal University (and t h e i r t e a c h e r s ) will be p e r t u r b e d
of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September b y t h e d e s c r i p t i o n of m o m e n t s as
1983 Understanding structural analysis forces, just as t h e y will n o t i m m e d i -
Ed F. L. L. B. Came~to, A. J. Ferrante, David Brohn ately i d e n t i f y r e a c t i o n s as i n t e r n a l
R. C. Bat/sta and R. Lopez Pa/anco Granada Technical Books, London, forces especially w h e n the term is
Pentech Press, London, 1984, 298 pp., UK, 1984, 282 pp., £9.95 n o t explained.
£28.50 T h e r e is a p r e d i c t a b l y m o n o t o n o u s
T h o s e of us w h o are a c q u a i n t e d w i t h p a t t e r n in the style o f tile w r i t t e n
T h e stated o b j e c t i v e o f this S y m p o s i u m David B r o h n will r e c o g n i z e m u c h o f passages w h i c h is u n l i k e l y to b o t h e r
was to p r o m o t e an e x c h a n g e of ideas his i n d i v i d u a l i t y in this n e w t e x t . a new learner, because he will n o t read
a n d i n f o r m a t i o n o n p r o b l e m s involving T h e r e is t h e clarity o f e x p r e s s i o n t h r o u g h the e n t i r e b o o k in a s h o r t
t h e design, c o n s t r u c t i o n and s t a b i l i t y w h i c h we have c o m e to e x p e c t f r o m p e r i o d of time, as y o u r reviewer did.
analysis of light spatial s t r u c t u r e s . The h i m , t h e effective use o f easily u n d e r - But some o f the v a r i a t i o n s in the text
v o l u m e is o r g a n i z e d i n t o t w o parts: s t o o d diagrams, a creative a t t i t u d e to introduce confusion, rather than
Part 1 : c o n s t r u c t i o n of spatial struc- the p r o b l e m s of c o m m u n i c a t i o n w h i c h v a r i e t y ; t h e r e seems little p o i n t in
t u r e s w i t h f o u r p a p e r s ; a n d Part 2: m o t i v a t e s h i m to t r y a new f o r m a t referring to virtual d i s p l a c e m e n t s ,
stability a n d static analysis o f spatial and above all the e m p h a s i s o n t h e d e f o r m a t i o n s and d e f l e c t i o n s in o n e
s t r u c t u r e s w i t h 13 papers. T h e overall importance of understanding structural page, w h e n e a c h p h r a s e a p p a r e n t l y
q u a l i t y o f t h e p r i n t i n g and illustrations behaviour. m e a n s the same -- but w h e n an earnest
is g o o d , c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t t h e b o o k has Many o f t h e papers w h i c h have b e e n reader m i g h t feel justified in seeking
b e e n p r e p a r e d f r o m t y p e d , camera- p r e s e n t e d in this area in r e c e n t years an u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the s u b t l e distinc-
ready manuscripts. have, s o m e w h a t r e g r e t a b l y , t e n d e d to tion which he p r e s u m e s the writer is
T h e f o u r p a p e r s in Part 1 deal w i t h talk a b o u t q u a l i t a t i v e analysis as if it making.
t h e analysis of m e m b r a n e s t r u c t u r e s ; were a separate activity a l t o g e t h e r . If this is a t e x t for learners, t h e n
t h e g e n e r a t i o n of a new s t r u c t u r a l This t e x t begins u n a s h a m a d l y w i t h an the style of assistance given in the
form t h e star b e a m ; t h e analysis, initial e x p l o r a t i o n o f t h e subject area e x p l a n a t o r y c h a p t e r s should c o n t i n u e
design a n d c o n s t r u c t i o n of a space w h i c h is p a r t l y q u a l i t a t i v e and p a r t l y over into the w o r k e d s o l u t i o n s to the
f r a m e shell; and a s o f t w a r e package algebraic. A n d we are i m m e d i a t e l y p r a c t i c e p r o b l e m s . Here, h o w e v e r ,
for steel s t r u c t u r e s . E a c h p a p e r is aware of t h e a d v a n t a g e s o f seeing t h e t h e r e is an u n f o r t u n a t e discrepancy.
i n t e r e s t i n g a n d i n f o r m a t i v e , especially s u b j e c t , in this way, as a unified entity. A learner is given q u a n t i t a t i v e com-
to' t h o s e engaged in t h e p r a c t i c e o f F o r this is a t e x t for learners; it is p u t e r o u t p u t s for p r o b l e m s which he
s t r u c t u r a l design. p r e s e n t e d as a resource to assist was e n c o u r a g e d to solve q u a h t a t i v e l y -
Part 2 c o n t a i n s several p a p e r s a l e a r n e r as he strives to find o u t w h a t and these do n o t always follow the
w h i c h would be o f p r i m a r y i n t e r e s t to s t r u c t u r a l analysis is all a b o u t , and d r a f t i n g style which he was e n c o u r a g e d
researchers, p a r t i c u l a r l y in t h e area of s h o u l d be all a b o u t . In m o s t cases it to use in tire following i n s t r u c t i o n . It
s t a b i l i t y where t h i n - w a l l e d curved is fully detailed and a n t i c i p a t e s m a n y m i g h t have been b e t t e r to give the
b e a m s ; HP gable shells; i n f l a t a b l e s ; of t h e m o r e c o m m o n errors and s u p p l e m e n t a r y i n f o r m a t i o n t w h i c h is
c y l i n d e r s ; and f r a m e d spherical shells misunderstandings which frustrate a d m i t t e d l y i n t e r e s t i n g it n o t valuable)
are e x a m i n e d . A n a l y t i c a l , n u m e r i c a l , learners. A n d t h e g e n e r o u s provision in a separate a p p e n d i x .
and e x p e r i m e n t a l studies are i n c l u d e d of carefully p r e p a r e d diagrams does Overall, I had t w o i m p o r t a n t reserva-
and some of t h e p a p e r s c o n t a i n m u c h to e n h a n c e the usefulness of tions a b o u t this new t e x t b o o k . The
simplified f o r m u l a e t h a t could also the t e x t , The f o r m a t , a l t h o u g h r a t h e r first was t h e relatively s p e e d y coverage
be o f i n t e r e s t to designers. d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h a t of a s t a n d a r d text which it gave to a n u m b e r o f topics
The r e m a i n i n g p a p e r s in Part 2 b o o k , uses familiar d i a g r a m a t i c con- w h i c h have always seemed to i n t r o d u c e
t r e a t a v a r i e t y of s u b j e c t s i n c l u d i n g v e n t i o n s . It t h e r e f o r e p r e s e n t s the difficulties for u n d e r g r a d u a t e s . I have
design m e t h o d s for c a b l e - r e i n f o r c e d r e a d e r with few p r o b l e m s in assimila- in m i n d t h e c o n c e p t o f a couple, the
m e m b r a n e s , high rise p n e u m a t i c tion, o n c e he has b e c o m e a c c u s t o m e d n a t u r e o f a hinge, the idea that the
s t r u c t u r e s and m e t a l hypars. Also, to a l t e r n a t i n g f r e q u e n t l y b e t w e e n t e x t slope o f a b e n d i n g m o m e n t diagraln
t h e plastic analysis o f n o n p r i s m a t i c and diagram. will be the same on b o t h sides of
folded plate s t r u c t u r e s and the analysis It is w r i t t e n for t h o s e w h o are a hinge, the n a t u r e of a rigid c o r n e r in
o f a x i s y m m e t r i c shells with local s t u d y i n g the subject for the first time; a frame, the reason w h y the b e n d i n g
irregulatities are treated. F o r the m o s t for that r e a s o n it is i n e v i t a b l y less m o m e n t transfers a r o u n d it and the
p a r t , this g r o u p of papers would be of suitable as a r e f e r e n c e text. Each whole c o n c e p t of t h e free body
i n t e r e s t to researchers and designers of c h a p t e r flows f r o m b e g i n n i n g to end diagram. At a later stage in the text
specialized s t r u c t u r a l f o r m s and types. in a c o n t i n u o u s e x p l a n a t i o n . T h e r e I was also slruck by the s o m e w h a t
In c o n c l u s i o n , t h e v o l u m e addresses are few overall summaries, and no simplistic way in which the learner was
t h e stated objectives of the s y m p o s i u m p u n c t u a t i o n in the form o f main i n t r o d u c e d to virtual work. and by the
very well. Little of the c o n t e n t is headings. The e x p l a n a t i o n s , because disregard o f the valid q u e s t i o n s which
a r e s t a t e m e n t of w e l l - k n o w n t e x t b o o k t h e y are full, are less suited to revision m a n y o f l e n ask a b o u t the derivation
m a t e r i a l ; r a t h e r , several p a p e r s e m b r a c e t h a n they are to initial studies. And of the two t h e o r e m s .
the c u t t i n g edge of t e c h n o l o g y in the the i m p o r t a n t a s s e r t a t i o n s which are I was also acutely aware of t h e
s t r u c t u r a l e n g i n e e r i n g of shell anti m a d e al a n u m b e r o f p o i n t s in the text a b s t r a c t n a t u r e of the entire p r e s e n t a -
spatial s t r u c t u r e s , and the b o o k would are nol always explained, or cross- tion o f the topic. F r o m tire very first

148 Engng Struct., 1985, Vol. 7, April

page, this book is concerned with theory of plasticity which flourished devoted to the bond strength of rein-
schematic representations of structures. later at Brown University in the United forcing bars. The book concludes with
It seems a pity, to put it mildly, that States and at Cambridge University in a very full list of references arranged
the man who has done so much to England. historically from Galileo's 'dialogue
persuade teachers and students of the Nielsen's book attempts to relate concerning two new sciences' of 1638
need to understand the behaviour of the special developments in limit up to work by the author written in
real structures should devote his text analysis of structural concrete to the 1983 and still unpublished when the
book to the understanding of dia- now classical theory of plasticity and book went to press. The recent refer-
gramatic models of structures. so to facilitate the further development ences are overwhelmingly from Danish
Students should be encouraged to of his subject on a firmer less empirical sources.
use this text book, either for their basis. The book is well-produced and con-
initial learning or - if that is not The first chapter is devoted to tains a large number of clear diagrams.
expedient in their department - to a short overview of the theory of The cited material has naturally been
enrich that learning and to make good plasticity and this is followed by an selected from the subject areas closest
the omissions in it. important chapter on yield conditions. to the work of the author. The chosen
The third chapter is devoted to the areas are treated authoritatively but
John Cowan theory of plain concrete, whilst the a surprising omission is any considera-
fourth is concerned with disks and is tion of frames and this was presumably
primarily based on work done by the inevitable after the very brief coverage
Limit analysis and concrete plasticity author 15 years ago. The fifth chapter of beams in bending. Computational
M. P. Nielsen is concerned with beams and it is procedures receive only passing refer-
Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, perhaps surprising to find that beams ence.
USA, 1984, 420 pp., £40.80 in flexure receive very little attention The book is a very significant addi-
due presumably to the full coverage tion to the literature and makes one
The application of the concept of that this topic has received elsewhere even more conscious of the importance
plasticity to structural concrete has in the technical literature. A much of the Danish contributions to this
a long history. Design methods were fuller treatment is given of beams in subject area. It is unlikely to be adopted
frequently developed in isolation from shear followed by a compact presenta- as a class text - partly because of its
the mainstream of the theory of plas- tion of torsion and then combined cost - but it will be very valuable to
ticity. Pioneers, such as Ingerslev and bending, shear and torsion are dis- advanced students, researchers and to
Johansen in Denmark, Gvozdev in the cussed. many designers. It will assist in dis-
Soviet Union and A. L. L. Baker in The sixth chapter is a very impor- seminating a better understanding of
Britain, developed methods of analysis tant one on slabs and rather naturally the behaviour of reinforced concrete
and design which incorporated the gives full discussions of the yield line at rupture and in the more general
special features of structural concrete method and the strip method. The adoption of less empirical design
but generally did not demonstrate the punching shear of slabs is the topic of methods.
relationship that their methods had the seventh chapter whilst the eighth
with, for example, the theoretical chapter is concerned with shear in
developments of the mathematical joints. The n i n t h and last chapter is J. Munro

Engng Struct., 1985, Vol.7, April 149