Product Description
This monograph is an updated and expanded edition of Chopra s classic primer from 1981, Dynamics of Structures. It provides the nonspecialist in dynamics of structures with the basic concepts and knowledge needed to understand the response of structures to earthquake excitation. It presents structural dynamics concepts and analysis procedures in elastic and inelastic response of structures that in one form or the other are utilized in design codes and seismic evaluations guidelines. Its three parts are composed of (1) Linearly Elastic Systems, (2) Inelastic Systems, and (3) Building Design Codes and Evaluation Guidelines. Part I presents a modern treatment of the dynamics of elastic systems. Part II is devoted to the dynamics of inelastic single-degree-of-freedom systems, response spectra for inelastic systems, inelastic design spectrum and its applications in the design of new structures, and safety evaluation of existing structures. It also is an introduction to the vast subject of inelastic analysis and response of multistory buildings. Part III presents the lateral forces specified in the 2003 International Building Code, together with their relationship to the structural dynamics concepts; pertinent comments on three other building codes are included. Part III also discusses selected aspects of computing seismic demands according to FEMA and ATC guidelines for evaluating existing buildings, in light of structural dynamics theory.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 3.5 based on 2 reviews)

best way for an amateur to learn basics of earthquake structural dynamics

After one too many question to the earthquake engineers, they unanimously pointed me toward this short book to get better acquainted with the engineering of structural response to earthquakes.

The book is a paragon of clarity - be sure to get the 2nd edition, it is an improvement over the now-obsolete 1st edition both in inclusion recent developments and in greater description of who did what to get to the state of the art.

I took off one star in annoyance at the completely black-and-white and crude illustrations (although it probably gets extra brownie points from real engineers), which made reading more of a chore, and contributed to the difficulty of reading more than a chapter at a time. To be fair, this book is exemplary in explaining a field rife with approximations, practical considerations, legal ramifications, and a very complex mechanics underpinning.

The next book in an education in this field is the more advanced book by Prof. Chopra, dynamics of structures, in which I've also invested, but haven't cracked open yet.
January 03, 2008

Earthquake Dynamics of Structures A Primer

This book is a summary of basic principles in Recent Earthquake Dynamics of Structures Theory for Linearly Elastic and Inelastic System, Structural Dynamics in Building Design Code and Building Evaluation Guidelines. The details can be founded in Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering by the same author. Very useful informations for practicing earthquake structural engineers.
October 15, 2007

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Dynamics of Structures (3rd Edition) (Prentice-Hall International Series in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics)
by Anil K. Chopra

Structural Dynamics: Theory and Computation
by Mario Paz, William Leigh

Displacement Based Seismic Design of Structures
by M.J.N. Priestley, G.M. Calvi, M.J. Kowalsky
by IUSS Press

Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering (2nd Edition)
by Anil K. Chopra

Design of Wood Structures-ASD/LRFD
by Donald E. Breyer, Kenneth J. Fridley, Jr., David G Pollock, Kelly Cobeen