Smart Structures by A. V. Srinivasan and D. Michael McFarland, Cambridge
University Press, 拢21.95, ISBN 0521659779
THE mollusc is a smart creature. Well, its shell is, anyway. As an example of
what can be achieved using simple materials and smart design, it鈥檚 hard to beat.
And that鈥檚 what Smart Structures is all about: engineering structures
that sense, react, adjust to their environment and even repair themselves.
Sensibly, Srinivasan and McFarland kick off by defining 鈥渟mart鈥� as what
happens 鈥渨hen materials鈥� properties are exploited to serve a design function
better than is possible through conventional structural design鈥�. In other words,
smart is as smart does. They then take a look at many different smart materials
and designs, with chapters devoted to strategies that have proved their worth,
from 鈥渟hape memory鈥� alloys to vibration absorbers.
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The material for the book has been developed through courses taught by the
authors, and it shows. Engineers and students will find it a very practical
volume, with pages of equations and problems. But the only sustained read for
the non-specialist is the chapter on biomimetics where the authors discuss how
nature鈥檚 smart ideas can help us design stronger, safer structures.
One familiar smart structure is the earthquake-resistant building, which
contains vibration dampers to help it ride any tremors. Recent devastating
earthquakes prove that building smart structural designs could be a lifesaver.
This book provides an excellent basis for training engineers to do just
that.