This book examines the theoretical foundations underpinning the field of strength of materials/theory of elasticity, beginning from the origins of the modern theory of elasticity. While the focus is on the advances made within Italy during the nineteenth century, these achievements are framed within the overall European context. The vital contributions of Italian mathematicians, mathematical physicists and engineers in respect of the theory of elasticity, continuum mechanics, structural mechanics, the principle of least work and graphical methods in engineering are carefully explained and discussed. The book represents a work of historical research that primarily comprises original contributions and summaries of work published in journals. It is directed at those graduates in engineering, but also in architecture, who wish to achieve a more global and critical view of the discipline and will also be invaluable for all scholars of the history of mechanics.
"The authors present an interesting investigation of
the historical development of a domain that can be seen as part of applied
mathematics or better of applied mechanics or of mathematics for engineers. ?
the book is primarily directed to engineers and historians ? . It complements
the existing historical studies with the developments in Italy in the 19th
century that have been largely neglected up to now and presents historians and
specialists a lot of detailed information." (Karl-Heinz Schlote, zbMATH 1329.01002,
2016)
"This book is a historical account of the
contributions in the mechanics of solids by Italian scholars in the nineteenth
century ? . The book presents material that can be taken as a starting point by
those who want to start a research program on a part of the history of
mechanics which deserves attention and has not been extensively explored." (Paolo
Maria Mariano, Mathematical Reviews, October, 2015)
