UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A book written by Thomas Boothby, professor of architectural engineering, will be released by ASCE Press at the Structural Engineering Institute conference in Portland, Oregon, April 23-25.
The book, titled "Engineering Iron and Stone: Understanding Structural Analysis and Design Methods of the Late 19th Century," presents a comprehensive explanation of the empirical, graphical and analytical design techniques used during the late 1800s in the construction of buildings and bridges in wood, stone, brick and iron.
Boothby includes examples of the design methods as they are applied to arches, girders, trusses, beams and columns.
Numerous calculations, drawings and photographs illustrate the application of these techniques to a wide range of structures.
Current engineers can draw upon concepts from the book to understand the behavior of these structures and gain insight into their actual performance.