Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
(OP)
I'm just starting out working life as a structural engineer having recently graduated and was wondering if anyone had had any advice on 'must read books for structural engineers?
I'm particularly interested in any slightly less technical books that will improve my overall understanding & knowledge!
I'm particularly interested in any slightly less technical books that will improve my overall understanding & knowledge!






RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
To Engineer is Human
Remaking the World
Success through Failure
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Why Buildings Fall Down - Levy & Salvadori - easier to stay stay interested in than Petroski's book and funny as well (see the section on how he handled lawyers as an expert witness)
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
This forum will expose you to many problems (in a short time) which would take years to come across in practice.
Take some time to think through some of the posts that interest you and it will help tremendously.
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
For example, I've yet to bother rereading the building code commentaries since graduating (read it for uni work previously), since I never design buildings.
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Really - its a study unto the structure of the human body - very complicated, but logical.
Mike McCann
McCann Engineering
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Torroja "Philosophy of Structures"
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
It may be in imperial units.
Den Hartog "Strength of materials"
unfortunately again imperial units.
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
It's an entertaining read covering real basics as well as such things as fracture mechanics. All written for lay people to understand. As a structural engineer you ARE a lay person for much of this but it really helped my basic understanding of the problems.
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Blodgett - Design of Welded Structures
Blodgett - Design of Weldments
Blodgett - Tubular Structures
MacGregor - Reinforced Concrete (Mechanics & Design)
The Masonry Society - Masonry Designers Guide
Salmon & Johnson - Steel Structures (Design & Behavior)
AISC Manual (Black)
Newman - Structural Renovation of Buildings
Shanley - Mechanics of Materials
Roark - Formulas for Stress & Strain
Peck, Hanson, Thornburn - Foundation Engineering
Johnson - Deterioration, Maintenance & Repair of Structures
Mikhelson - Structural Engineering Formulas
ACI 318
Budynas - Advanced Strength & Applied Stress Analysis
CRSI Manual
Karnovsky, Lebed - Free Vibration of Beams & Frames
ASCE 7
ACI 530 (Masonry Code)
PCI Design Handbook
NDS suite
Gaylord, Gaylord - Structural Engineering Handbook
Ramsey, Sleeper - Architectural Graphic Standards
Bar Joist & Decking catalog
about five of the AISC Design Guides
& all of my grad school notes bound into books
Books you should read cover-to-cover:
Levi, Salvadori - Why Buildings Fall Down
Merritt - Building Design and Construction Handbook
MacGregor - Reinforced Concrete (Mechanics & Design)
Salmon, Johnson - Steel Structures (Design & Behavior)
Williams - Structural Engineering Reference Manual
RE: Essential Reading for Structural Engineers
Is also a great Mechanics of Solids Book.