ENGI 240: Castro: Welcome! Bienvenidos!

This is an engaging personal account, not just of the physics and chemistry of materials, but of the ethics, economics, and politics of innovation. Mark Eberhart provides captivating scientific explanations of subjects ranging from the structural failures leading to the sinking of the Titanic to everyday items in our world.

This unique book examines the often underappreciated and occasionally maligned technique of reverse engineering. Written by an engineer who began teaching after years in industry, he reviews this meticulous analytical process with breadth and depth. Find out how to learn by "mechanical dissection", deduce the role, purpose and functionality of a designed entity, identify materials of construction and methods of manufacture by observation alone, and assess the suitability of a design from purpose to form and fit.

"For anyone who has wondered why suspension bridges don't collapse under eight lanes of traffic, how dams hold back - or give way under- thousands of gallons of water; or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper, a bias-cut dress, or a kangaroo, this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questions.