Shape and Structure, from Engineering to Nature (Paperback)

~ (Author) "This book is an invitation to think about a phenomenon that is so prevalent that it is being taken for granted: the macroscopic shapes and..." (more)
Key Phrases: constructal theory, global thermal conductance, constructal design, New York, Heat Mass Transfer, Cambridge Univ (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] unique, path-breaking and thought-provoking book of wide readership..." International Journal of Applied Thermodynamics

"Shape and Structure makes for a very interesting reading for anyone with a minimum background in mathematics and physics. The books is well written in a lucid, enthusiastic style and meticulously copy edited and typeset by Cambridge. It contains plenty of illustrations including 15 color plates, all instructive as well as beautiful." Applied Mechanics Reviews

"...unusual and fascinating...Anyone concerned with optimization, including students taking a course on the subject, will derive inspiration and insight from this book, and anyone with an interest in engineering and nature will get a great deal of pleasure from it." Peter Bradshaw, Stanford University, AIAA Journal

"This fascinating book is recommended as a text or reference for innovative, advanced design courses in all branches of modern egineering, including biomedical, transportation, and environmental engineering, architecture and spatail economics. Further, I strongly recommend it as a must read to all engineers who are experimenting with origainal, radically different concepts and ideas and who are poised to make a lasting impact on society." Engineering Dimensions July- Aug 2001

"This book provides some intriguing insights into the workings of both the natural world and that of engineering design....extremely well written, and the discussion is supported by clear graphical illustrations and some delightful photographs....excellent book." Chemical Engineering Progress

"this delightful read conducts the reader through the marvelous world of optimal system...this is an outstanding book, highly recommended not only for physicists and engineers, but also for life scientist, physicians, architects, economists and in general, for any person interested in how natural and man-made systems are composed and perform the way they do. Reading the book is a joyful experience that further stimulates the reader's mind and contributes to the creative observation of our natural and ingenuous world." Pergamon

"...this is a useful book for a general course on efficiency in design, both on the undergraduate and graduate level." - Helmut Kirchner, Pageoph

Product Description

Seemingly universal geometric forms unite the flow systems of engineering and nature. In this groundbreaking book, Adrian Bejan considers the design and optimization of engineered systems and discovers a relationship to the generation of geometric form in natural systems. The idea that shape and structure spring from the struggle for better performance in both engineering and nature is the basis of his new constructal theory: the objective and constraints principle in engineering is the same mechanism underlying the geometry in natural flow systems. From heat exchangers to river channels, Bejan draws many parallels between the engineered and natural worlds. Numerous illustrations, examples, and homework problems make this an ideal text for engineering design courses. Its provocative ideas will also appeal to a broad range of readers in engineering, natural sciences, economics, and business.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521793882
• ISBN-13: 978-0521793889
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #832,180 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting, January 22, 2009

By	SirPyrosapien "Rich" (Worcester, MA) - See all my reviews

i'm just getting started with graduate research and picked up this book from the library. it is going to be very useful, and i really like how it starts with sort of traditional optimization of structures and over the course of the book, shows how optimization leads to familiar natural structures. plenty of equations, understandable diagrams, and extensive references (which i will definitely be investigating). i will probably buy my own copy of this book.

i think it will be very useful for me because i'm specifically interested in periodic fluid flow into a volume, and heat transfer from the volume to the fluid.

i'm surprised there's only one review so far, this is a very interesting book and i consider it to be well-written and easy to read (relative to other engineering journals/books). some good fluid mechanics and heat transfer background will help you get the most out of the equations, but i think even without that background it's possible to understand the concepts presented in the book. it has inspired me to brush up my heat and fluids skill, that's for sure.

1 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book, January 5, 2007

By	VJ "bibliophile" (TX) - See all my reviews

The subject of this book is somewhat new and from what little I read it seems to be interesting.