Customer Reviews

Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A very usefull reference book for the practising structural or mechanical engineer. However it could be significantly improved by some modernisation and rationalisation ie: removing references out-dated information and references from the 1920's and 1930's,etc. Also by standardising variables and equations, eg: the variable for the width of a section may be 'b' in one chapter 'd' in another, also 'tw' may represent flange thickness rather than web thickness, etc. The book examples are all in U.S. (lbs, feet) units, annoying the European (N, m) user, and may start on one page, then be interupted by 20 pages of tables before continuing on. So the general layout could do with being significantly improved.

I have three editions of this book: the classic 4th edition, the useless 5th edition and this, the 7th edition.

The 4th edition has simple format, is easy to use, but lacks methods for more sophisticated hand analyses and is sparse on explanations. The 5th is best used for a doorstop.

This edition is an excellent combination of the usefullness of the 4th edition with modern and more advanced methods.
The layout of each section has excellent explanatory material and provides the simple 4th edition type equations backed with more involved/advanced formulas which are very useful.

My hat is off to the authors. This is probably the best reference for those nasty stress and deflection hand calculations we all have to do from time to time.

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW ON THIS BOOK --- THIS IS A COMMENT FOR MARKETPLACE SELLERS FOR THIS BOOK AND ALL ENGINEERING BOOKS --- YOU NEED TO LIST WHICH EDITION YOU ARE SELLING, AS THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE BUYERS TO KNOW! DIFFERENT EDITIONS CAN BE IN DIFFERENT UNIT SYSTEMS, AND MOST PEOPLE ONLY WANT TO HAVE A PARTICULAR EDITION (FIRST, LATEST, ETC)! --- THANKS!

During my years as Structural Calculyst this book was always on my right side on my desk, and when I needed it, it was ready to help me find my way. One really very good Engineer has never found all formulas in his head, instead he should be able of finding them out on good references and really know how to use
them all. This is the best reference book you are going to find when formulas is your subject, just buy it!
The only book I know better than this one is written in German and few people are able to read in German, so!

This Book contains every fromula that i would ever need during my Mechanical Engineering Course.
It is quite easy to use, and the print is clear the index is user friendly

Roark's has been and remains an excellent resource for the structural engineer and designer regardless of the edition. This is a referance I use on a daily basis. Typically the first book I reach for.

I should have most of this book memorized by now since I've relied on it for so many years. I highly recommend this text.

I am on my way out the door, but wanted to add my two cents to some of the other well-thought-out reviews on this wonderful book. I love this book.

A great book I've referred to for decades. The main problem I see in its usage is the neglect of non-linear effects. An unknowledgeable material scientist or engineer calculates a stress or deflection and then thinks it can be applied to failure analysis. The component will take a far greater load before it fails due to the non-linear effects. For example, the initial force to deflect a trampoline 1 inch may be 1 lb, but at 24 inch it is 200 lb (not 24 lb, the linear answer). It's the same with structures when they start deforming.

The content of Roark's Formulas is very handy for a desk reference type book and is referred to in many other works like Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers and Design of Weldments and Design of Welded Structures by Omer Blodgett.

My copy of the 7th edition looks like the pages were crooked when they were cut to size. The text on left hand pages is tilted to the top left and the right pages are tilted to the top right. Most likely when the stack of printed material was in the size cutter it wasn't squared properly because every page is turned the exact same amount. It doesn't affect the readability of anything it just looks odd because you almost think you're holding the book crooked sine the text isn't parallel to the top and bottom edges.

The paper isn't the slick, durable type used in McGraw Hill's other reference books like Marks' Std Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, so combined with the crooked page trim I would rate the physical appearance sub-par. I expect better from a professional level book from McGraw Hill.