This comprehensive textbook focuses on the torsion in thin walled structures, highlights the nuances of the problems faced and succinctly discusses warping, bimoment, etc. Since in several thin walled structures, torsion is the only or dominant loading, this book addresses such unique structures as well. It provides a concise explanation of the warping properties and how they are evaluated. Thin walled structures with torsion as the preponderant loading are then treated using classical and finite element methods. No prior knowledge of the finite element method is required as the method is introduced from the basics. The same problem is worked out by both approaches so that the concepts are clearly understood by the readers. The book includes pedagogical features such as end-of-chapter questions and worked out examples to augment learning and self-testing. The book will be useful for graduate courses as well as for professional development coursework for structural engineers in the aerospace, mechanical, and civil engineering domains.

This book introduces designers to the theoretical aspects of the behaviour of thin-walled structures, and then shows how some codes of practice have incorporated this theory and modified it to be more digestible in a design office.

Thin-walled structures can be used to absorb impact energy during a vehicle collision. Crush Mechanics of Thin-Walled Tubes describes the analysis and design of these lightweight elements and thoroughly explains the deformation behaviors of thin-walled hollow members under crushing loading. The book covers, in detail, thin-walled structures—under axial compression, bending, and torsion. It provides a complete understanding of the underlying concepts and mechanisms of energy absorption components, includes analysis techniques, and covers existing theoretical approaches along with the author’s research. Geared toward engineering students, practicing mechanical and structural engineers, and researchers interested in analyzing energy absorption and designing structures that may undergo impacts, this book: Addresses axial compression of circular and square tubes, and bending and torsion of tubes Summarizes the mechanism of collapse and associated calculations for the initial peak force and the average compressive force Explores two factors controlling the axial collapse of a plate Investigates systematically the deformation characteristics of corrugated tubes under axial crush Provides an understanding of the collapse behavior of members undergoing bending deformation when trying to evaluate strength and energy-absorption characteristics Looks at the bending deformation of circular and square tubes Explains the characteristic flattening phenomenon, the maximum moment in bending deformation, and the moment-rotation relation during bending collapse Discusses the collapse behavior of thin-walled structures with an open cross section during axial crushing and bending deformation Includes the proposition of a new method for evaluating the maximum bending moment of square tubes with consideration of sidewall buckling Proposes a new technique that can be used to determine the relation between the bending moment M and the rotation angle θ Presents analysis methods for predicting the maximum torsion moment in each case A shelf-worthy reference showcasing structural mechanics, Crush Mechanics of Thin-Walled Tubes provides a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts and mechanisms of crushing deformations in thin-walled structures and serves as a guide for both teaching and self-study.

The authors and their colleagues developed this text over many years, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in structural analysis courses at the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering of the Georgia Institute of Technology. The emphasis is on clarity and unity in the presentation of basic structural analysis concepts and methods. The equations of linear elasticity and basic constitutive behaviour of isotropic and composite materials are reviewed. The text focuses on the analysis of practical structural components including bars, beams and plates. Particular attention is devoted to the analysis of thin-walled beams under bending shearing and torsion. Advanced topics such as warping, non-uniform torsion, shear deformations, thermal effect and plastic deformations are addressed. A unified treatment of work and energy principles is provided that naturally leads to an examination of approximate analysis methods including an introduction to matrix and finite element methods. This teaching tool based on practical situations and thorough methodology should prove valuable to both lecturers and students of structural analysis in engineering worldwide. This is a textbook for teaching structural analysis of aerospace structures. It can be used for 3rd and 4th year students in aerospace engineering, as well as for 1st and 2nd year graduate students in aerospace and mechanical engineering.