"How Structures Work is the most compelling on structures that I have ever read. And I have read a lot of books on structures."
R. L. Brungraber, Ph.D., P.E., Timber Framing: Journal of the Timber Framers Guild, December 2009
"The author writes beautifully. It is a user-friendly engaging book to read and one that is very easy to understand. One learns a lot by reading it.... I think it should be a compulsory text for all first year engineering students."
From a review of the first edition commissioned by the publisher
Provides a clear, engaging, and non-mathematical introduction to how buildings and bridges function under various forces.
Structural engineering is central to the design of a building. How the building behaves when subjected to various forces -- the weight of the materials used to build it, the weight of the occupants or the traffic it carries, the force of the wind, etc. -- is fundamental to its stability. The alliance between architecture and structural engineering is therefore critical to the successful design and completion of the buildings that surround us. Yet structure is often cloaked in mathematics which many find difficult to understand.
How Structures Work: Design and Behaviour from Bridges to Buildings, Third Edition has been written to explain the behaviour of structures in a clear way without resorting to complex mathematics. It is aimed at all who require a good qualitative understanding of structures and their behaviour, and as such will be of benefit to students of architecture, architectural history, building surveying and civil engineering. The straightforward, non-mathematical approach ensures it will also be suitable for a wider audience including building administrators, archaeologists and the interested layman.
The third edition of How Structures Work expands on the previous editions with a new chapter exploring unusual structures, cantilever stairs, and the significance of friction, with new examples and case studies from around the world.
Bridging the gap between architectural design and structural feasibility, How Structures Work:
- Helps readers understand structural behaviour without complex mathematics
- Explains key structural concepts such as load distribution, stability, workmanship, and material selection
- Features real-world examples from bridges, buildings, and historical structures worldwide
- Contains high-quality illustrations and diagrams to visually explain structural principles
How Structures Work: Design and Behaviour from Bridges to Buildings, Third Edition, is essential for architecture students, early-career professionals, and those studying building conservation or architectural history. Suitable for courses in architectural structures, building technology, and preservation, it serves as both an introductory text and a valuable reference for architects, designers, and those in related fields such as building surveying and conservation.
About this author
David Yeomans is an engineer, an historian and a teacher. He has taught in several schools of architecture in the United Kingdom and the United States, has been a consultant on World Heritage Sites and has written widely on the history of building structures. He is vice chairman of the Construction History Society.
