Need book recommendations... 5

[GalileoG]

Hello all,

I am a recent graduate with a bachelor's degree and will soon begin work with a small firm that designs low-rise reinforced concrete and structural steel buildings. I was told that the bulk of my time and training will be modeling structures on various computer analysis and design software. I will commence work in less than a month's time and want to do some reading between now and then. I would like to add several easily acquirable books to my small but growing library. Can anyone here recommend a great book on the basics and theory behind FEA, and books that deal with concrete and steel design of buildings? (Canadian Code)

Thank you all and much appreciated.

Best Regards,
Clansman

 

[271828]

I doubt you'll be diving into FEA. Sounds more like matrix structural analysis if you're doing typical modeling. Unfortunately, there are not many good texts available on the subject. You might start with Matrix Analysis of Structures by Sennett. Of the three books I have on the subject, that would be the best to get started with. It's a paper back, so you can probably get it pretty cheap on the internet.

I also have McGuire, but it's a more advanced text. Some rave about it, but I really don't see anything useful in it other than the two best chapters on virtual work that have ever been written.

I'm in the USA, so have no clue on Canadian design codes.

 

[UcfSE]

Find out what software you'll be using and download the demonstration versions if they are available. Spend as much time as you can learning them so you'll be more useful at work.

For FEA of structures, there's one by cook, Malkus, Plesha and Witt that is excellent. Kassimali has a very good text on matrix analysis also.

 

[csd72]

Understanding the exact mathematics of FEA is not necessary as long as you understand how actual buildings behave.

Do some research on basic structural theory in particular with ways that you can check the analysis results. In my opinion a check is far more reliable if it is done by an independent method.

There are many articles on this in the Finite element engineering forum on this website, and also in the various professional publications.

As for concrete and steel engineering, code commentaries are always a good start as these usually explain the reasoning behind each clause.