Looks at what structural engineering is and how it fits into other branches of engineering

Examines the close relationship between architectural and structural form

Explores how structures work including issues such as safety and logistics

Considers its affects on the material world around us

Includes a number of different structures from civil, mechanical, aeronautical, and aerospace engineering

Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over six million copies sold worldwide

Have you ever wondered how it's possible to build a skyscraper, a big bridge, a jumbo jet, or a cruise liner?

Everything has structure. Structure is the difference between a random pile of components and a fully functional object. Through structure the parts connect to make the whole. Natural structures vary from the very smallest part of an atom to the entire cosmology of the universe. Man-made structures include buildings, bridges, dams, ships, aeroplanes, rockets, trains, cars and fair-ground rides and all forms of artefacts, even large artistic sculptures. The wide range of different industries in which structural engineers work includes construction, transport, manufacturing, and aerospace.

In this Very Short Introduction, David Blockley explores, in non-technical language, what structural engineering is all about, including examples ranging from the Shard in London and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to jumbo jets like the A380 and the Queen Elizabeth cruise liner.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Readership: Ideal for students of engineering, architecture, and science, as well as interested general readers.

David Blockley, Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow, University of Bristol, UK

David Blockley is an engineer and an academic scientist. He has been Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and the Royal Society of Arts. He has written four other books including The Penguin Dictionary of Civil Engineering (2005) and Bridges:The science and art of the world's most inspiring structures (2011).