Timber, steel, and concrete are common engineering materials used in structural design. Material choice depends upon the type of structure, availability of material, and the preference of the designer. The design practices the code requirements of each material are very different. In this updated edition, the elemental designs of individual components of each material are presented, together with theory of structures essential for the design. Numerous examples of complete structural designs have been included. A comprehensive database comprising materials properties, section properties, specifications, and design aids, has been included to make this essential reading.

Ram S. Gupta, PhD, earned a master's in engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, India, and a PhD at Polytechnic University, New York. He is a registered professional engineer in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Dr. Gupta is president of Delta Engineers Inc., a Rhode Island-based consulting company. He is the author of numerous research papers and three textbooks. Dr. Gupta is professor emeritus at Roger Williams University (RWU), Bristol, Rhode Island.