Interesting that the engineer's last name is "Wood".

Nominative Determinism strikes again...

Used to be, in the Middle Ages, your work dictated your last name, hence, names like Weaver, Miller, etc.

TTFN

Or the town that you were from?

Claus van der Meer - Claus from Meer?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."   
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

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huh? sorry - just "sawing wood" after reading the first paragraph
[wow - a fine example our tax dollars at work?]

now we need the history of Pipe Schedules!  

Quote (arto):

wow - a fine example our tax dollars at work?

Well, note two things.  First, the date: 1964.  Second, the fact that some of us find this interesting, even informative, forty odd years later.  

Given that, and that it probably took one man a few weeks - maybe a few months - to compile and write this down, its money well spent in my book.

Many engineers have projects where an existing structure is to be used for a new application. Since the dimensions of the components determine the structurally important properties, such as moment of inertia or section modulus knowing when the dimensional changes were made can be an important factor.

For example, if a 1950's (wooden) building is to be analyzed, you know from the start that it is constructed of more "robust" member's than the same building today.

www.SlideRuleEra.net

Sure, my parents' house in San Francisco was built in 1926, and nary a 2x4 to be found anywhere, except as stringers between studs.  All studs are 4x4, minimum.

TTFN

IRstuff, in addition to your work indicating your name, a "smith" was an expert in his field.  Check out the author of:

Structural Engineering, Vol 1: Introduction to Design Concepts and Analysis,

Structural Engineering, Vol 2: Intermediate Structures,

Structural Engineering, Vol 3: Behavoir of Members and Systems.

His name is SEXSMITH!

As far as I know, Smith was generally a blacksmith :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%28surname%29

Don't know if the Anglo-Saxons considered sex to be part of ironworking, unless, there's some indirect connection to removing chastity belts .

TTFN

Gold Smith & Silver Smith also common.