Experimental stress analysis is an important tool in the overall design and development of machinery and structures. While analytical techniques and computer solutions are available during the design stage, the results are still dependent on many assumptions that must be made in order to adapt them to the problems at hand. One popular method of finding structural and design weaknesses is through the use of the electrical resistance strain gage. These devices are relatively low in cost, easily applied by a reasonably skilled technician, and require little investment in instrumentation (for the general user), yet they yield a wealth of information in a relatively short time period. The information and its validity is, of course, dependent on the training and knowledge of the engineer who plans the tests and reduces the data. In addition to serving as a reference for engineers, this practical, instructive book has a high potential as a textbook for senior and first-year graduate students in engineering and related fields, such as engineering physics and geology. A solutions manual is available to instructors using the book as a text. To request a free copy of the manual, please write: Peter Gordon, Engineering Editor, Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

This highly detailed handbook is a resource for those entering the field of stress analysis and instrumentation. The authors were brought together to provide their expert experience and have presented many practical solutions.

Results of calibrations to determine axial and transverse strain sensitivities are presented for 15 types of single-element, multistrand wire strain gage.

The first book on the subject written by a practitioner forpractitioners. Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance goes far beyond a mere summary of the technicalliterature and manufacturers’ brochures: it guides readersthrough the entire geotechnical instrumentation process, showingthem when to monitor safety and performance, and how to do it well.This comprehensive guide: * Describes the critical steps of planning monitoring programsusing geotechnical instrumentation, including what benefits can beachieved and how construction specifications should bewritten * Describes and evaluates monitoring methods and recommendsinstruments for monitoring groundwater pressure, deformations,total stress in soil, stress change in rock, temperature, and loadand strain in structural members * Offers detailed practical guidelines on instrument calibrations,installation and maintenance, and on the collection, processing,and interpretation of instrumentation data * Describes the role of geotechnical instrumentation during theconstruction and operation phases of civil engineering projects,including braced excavations, embankments on soft ground,embankment dams, excavated and natural slopes, undergroundexcavations, driving piles, and drilled shafts * Provides guidelines throughout the book on the best practices