Engineering Mechanics , Statics (Volume 1) [Hardcover]

J. L. Meriam (Author), L. G. Kraige (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0471406465 | ISBN-13: 978-0471406464 | Edition: Volume 1

Over the past 50 years, Meriam amp Kraige's "Engineering Mechanics: Statics" has established a highly respected tradition of Excellence, a tradition that emphasizes accuracy, rigor, clarity, and applications. Now completely revised, redesigned, and modernized, the new fifth edition of this classic text builds on these strengths, adding new problems and a more accessible, student--friendly presentation. New Features include: Accessibility: New Contributors Bill Palm has revised the text to make it easier to understand; Pedagogy: End-of-Chapter summaries and highlighted "key concepts" sections help students remember key points; New Application Areas: Includes new application areas such as biomechanics; New Homework Problems: 50 per cent of the problems are new or revised; Solving Problem With...: A Series of optional booklets on "Solving Statics Problems with" Matlab, Mathcad, and Maple Web-Based Problem Solving: A Collection of over 150 online problems; Extension Sample Problems: These problems show how computational tools can be used to solve a variety of 'What If' Scenarios; Electronic Figures and Electronic Transparencies of Solved Problems: Text figures and more than 100 solved problems are available on the Web.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This update continues the same high standards set by previous editions and adds new features of help and interest to students. Explains how to construct and solve mathematical models which describe the effects of force and motion on a variety of structures and machines. Contains a vast amount of problems, ranging from simple to complex, which deal with principles and procedures inherent in the design of engineering structures and mechanical systems. Sample problems with detailed solutions include helpful observations of common errors and pitfalls to be avoided. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Known for its accuracy, clarity, and applications, Meriam & Kraige’s Engineering Mechanics: Statics has provided a solid foundation of mechanics principles for more than 50 years. Now in its new Sixth Edition, the book continues to help readers develop their problem-solving skills with an extensive variety of highly interesting problems related to engineering design. In the new edition, more than 50% of the homework problems are new. There are also many new sample problems. To help readers build necessary visualization and problem-solving skills, the book strongly emphasizes drawing free-body diagrams—the most important skill needed to solve mechanics problems. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Volume 1 edition (August 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471406465
• ISBN-13: 978-0471406464
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,325,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst textbook I've had so far, January 7, 2004

By 

Corey "unit_6er" (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Engineering Mechanics , Statics (Volume 1) (Hardcover)

Of all the engineering courses I've taken as far - heck, of all the courses I've had, period - Meriam and Kraige's book on Statics has to be the worst. Though the book covers more material than any other Statics books I have seen, the actual content is terrible. The chapters aren't very long, and the explanations that are given usually are too vague or insufficient to truly understand what's going on. Also, there are usually only two or three examples given for every major topic covered; instead of intermingling examples within the chapter to clarify various subjects, they are placed them at the end of every section. Finally, most of the problems they provide for practice (and that end up being assigned for homework) are way too hard.

It also didn't help that my professor for this class was very bad. If you really want to study Statics, buy something else: I highly recommend "800 Solved Problems In Vector Mechanics, Vol. I: Statics" by Shelley (which is in the Schaum's Solved Problems series) or Hibbeler's "Engineering Mechanics: Statics." If all else fails, just check out another Statics book at the nearest library, because Meriam and Kraige's book STINKS.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an engineering student, March 12, 2006

By 

Craig Yamashiro - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Engineering Mechanics , Statics (Volume 1) (Hardcover)

Engineering mechanics by Meriam and Kraige provides an excellent treatment of the subject matter, providing that one has all the necessary tools to handle this course. This means to have your geometry, algebra, trig., physics, and calculus internally wired. If not, one has to do the deep reviews, spending time and energy at grasping the basic concepts.

Also, if the discussion of the theory seems thin and problem sets seem unrepresentative, might I suggest another statics book by Riley and Sturges, 2nd ed. The exposition is expanded and provides clarity, the problem sets are a bit on the bland side, but the example sets provide reasonable representation to the problems in the book.

But, of all the problem sets of all statics books I have seen, Meriam and Kraige has the most realistic graphics and real world stuff. If you can internalize this book, your other mechanics courses like mech. of materials, dynamics, and fluids will move much more smoothly.

And, if a problem in the text appears impossible, it is always because of a misunderstanding of simpler concepts. It doesn't hurt being creative when problem solving. That is, to make additional sketches, draw diagrams, to QUESTION each and every part of the problem. To break apart or separate the problem into components and then mentally observing the parts under a "magnifying glass."

This book is very challenging, and it definitely helps if you have an instructor who has energy to be able to MAKE CLEAR any concepts whether in class, through paper handouts, in person, or even through email. If your instructor is lazy, you know where most of the energy of effort will have to come from.

Finally, if you has the drive, you can succeed. If your tank is low on gas, head for your next review station. Don't let any misunderstandings linger in your mind, siphoning your confidence, time, and energy. Sometimes, you gotta hike a mountain, going from review to review. You can do it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference work, difficult read for students, January 29, 2001

By 

S. Hall (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Statics, Volume 1, Engineering Mechanics, 4th Edition (Hardcover)

The text is extremely dense and concise. The principles are developed almost axiomatically and assume the reader has fully digested earlier material. The concepts are developed in a highly abstract, mathematical way. This makes the text an extremely useful reference once you are familiar with the material, but it is quite difficult for students new to the material. The instructor has to work hard to expand and develop the conceptual material.

There are a number of worked examples with annotations explaning the solution. I found these examples quite helpful, however, there is not any material specifically focussed on problem solving skills.

The strength of this book is its extensive collection of excellent problems illustrated by easy-to-understand color figures. The problems draw on a wide range of real-world examples. Their concrete nature helps makes a Statics course seem relevant and interesting. The quality and scope of the problems easily exceeds that of most other texts. Many of the problems require the student to first figure out what they're being asked to calculate, an important real-world aspect of problem solving. One drawback is that a number of problems depend on fairly tricky geometrical reasoning, which tends to obscure the statics skills being practiced. Finally, there isn't any real attempt to introduce the computer to solving statics problems. As a consequence, there are no problems asking for judgements -- questions such as "at what angle is the force in the bar the least?" Similarly, the large number of simultaneous equations to be solved in some problems could be done more easily on the computer. However, instructors may prefer that students first become proficient solving the problems by hand before making computer-based solutions.

Overall, the problems make this a good text for an instructor to use, but they will have to work hard to help the students learn the concepts and problem solving skills needed to be successfull.