Engineering Mechanics: Statics

Reviewed by Mohammad Valipour, Assistant Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 2/5/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book covers most of the syllabus for Statics courses that I teach. The order of the chapters is also logical and in a standard form including Chapter 1: Fundamental Concepts, Chapter 2: Particles, Chapter 3: Rigid Body Basics, Chapter 4: Rigid Bodies, Chapter 5: Trusses, Chapter 6: Internal Forces, and Chapter 7: Inertia. There are some Key Takeaways that are really useful. They help students to be familiar with practical applications of what they learn. There are key equations at the beginning of each chapter of the book which can be considered as a quick review of the book. Also, I found the trigonometric tables very useful for students who have forgotten basic geometry and trigonometry. One of the negative points that I can mention is the lack of enough sample problems for each content. Students who take Engineering Statics need to practice many problems/examples to get ready for their exams. Only one sample problem for most of the topics is not enough particularly for those who need time to understand the concepts through solving sample problems. I think students can use this book as a study guide very well but they also need an auxiliary textbook/pamphlet to fill the gap of not solving multiple problems for each topic. The other shortcoming is the font. I think the authors have used Latex for typing the formulas but the PDF version could not convert it correctly. That is why there are many places where we can see nonsense scripts look like computer programming with a lot of backslashes.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

In the current format, the book looks accurate. I could not find any problem with a wrong answer neither in the solution nor in the final answers.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

I found the relevancy aspect of this book pretty high. Since the topics rely on the fundamentals of physics and follow Euclidean geometry, we cannot expect any change in the near future. However, the authors try to stay up to date by adding some real-life examples which is highly appreciated.

Clarity rating: 4

The technical terms are clear and understandable even for students with zero background in engineering. I like the friendly tone that has been used by the authors and the vocabulary and terminology are understandable for all readers even international students. However, the quality of some figures is low and they are not readable. In addition, typing all of the equations and solutions will help to enhance the clarity aspect of the textbook instead of using authors’ handwriting and adding them as a photo to the book.

Consistency rating: 4

This is my favorite part of this book. It is very consistent and readable like a story from chapter 1 to chapter 7. The overall structure of the book holds together quite well. However, figure captions sometimes are too short, and adding some more information may be useful.

Modularity rating: 5

There are 7 chapters in this book. The author has done a nice job by putting sections and subsections in the right place. Different parts of the text are useable to be presented to students in different topics which might not be even the same in the book. The book includes occasional references to other subsections for further information, but such self-references do not look disruptive.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I think the material is provided and put together realistically. The organization of this book is logical. The sections and even subsections flow easily together with the previous and following sections/subsections. This book is organized and follows a clear structure. Each chapter starts with a chapter description and a list of sections. I found the online version of the book flow better due to the interactive design. The PDF version is also well formatted. Also, the topics are presented in a short concise fashion. Those links at the end of some chapters referring to Wolfram are very interesting and useful.

Interface rating: 4

An advantage of this book is having a user-friendly interface which makes it much easier for students to follow up with the materials discussed in the book. Unfortunately like many other OER books, the PDF version does not look like a regular book. There are some additional references provided by the authors that are very helpful. However, some links did not function and need to be fixed by the authors in the revised version of the book.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There are minor proofreading issues regarding vector notation, spelling, and grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not find the book offensive/insensitive in any way. It would be better to cover more examples from different parts of the world to be fairer for international readers/students.

Reviewed by Stephen Proietti, Retired Professor/Adjunct Professor, Northern Essex Community College on 11/28/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook covers the fundamental concepts of Statics including vector analysis, forces, moments, static equilibrium, internal reactions, and the properties of geometric shapes. Specifically, it’s an appropriate textbook for Engineering Mechanics: Statics, the first course in the Engineering Mechanics series offered in most university-level engineering programs such as Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics and Mechanics of Materials. At its core, the textbook provides the tools to solve static equilibrium problems and the resolution of internal loads for rigid bodies. The computation of area moments of inertia are also included as stepping stones for the basic concepts of engineering design as noted above.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

To the best of my understanding, the content of the textbook seem to be accurate and comprehensive, however, the student examples and work would need a more thorough evaluation.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content of the textbook is centered on the application of the fundamental principles of Newtonian Mechanics, which is not expected to change anytime soon. The textbook is written and/or arranged in such a way that revisions would be easy and straightforward to accomplish.

Clarity rating: 5

The textbook is written with a conversational tone providing lucid and accessible prose addressing students’ presumptions and concerns, especially in the first few chapters. Technical terms are well explained with adequate context for those who may not have any background in engineering, which is appropriate for a first course in engineering design.

Consistency rating: 4

The textbook is internally consistent with its terminology, format, and graphics. Figures are numbered and clearly referenced within the textbook. There are minor proofreading issues regarding vector notation, spelling, and grammar.

Modularity rating: 5

The textbook is appropriately structured into 7 chapters with each chapter developed through multiple subsections providing chapter objectives focused on smaller amounts of learning material assigned at different points within the course. The textbook includes occasional references to other subsections for further information without disruption.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The online version of the textbook is presented in a clear and logical manner with the exception of the summaries at the beginning of each chapter. The chapter summaries are complex and do not have enough context to provide helpful information about the chapter objectives. Perhaps placed at the end of the chapter before Key Takeaways or in the Appendix might prove to be more helpful. Flow questions appeared with the initial, rather complex presentation of the right-hand rule. Once completed, a more utilized approach is introduced near the end of the chapter. The mentioning of a left-hand rule that is not utilized also seems to disrupt the flow of the material. A similar situation occurred with a very confusing evaluation of a 3 X 3 determinant using a method that is only useful for 3 X 3 determinants. Once again, the more utilized method of expansion by row and column is introduced near the end of the chapter, which applies to any order determinant. Excellent links at end of some chapters referring to Wolfram.

Interface rating: 4

For the most part, the textbook was free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader. External references provided are exceptionally helpful. At the end of some chapters in the Example section, some of the additional examples 1:5:8 links, etc., did not function. There is a need for more examples for the student to try on their own provided in the Examples section of most chapters. There were also a few integrated links that did not seem to work throughout the textbook. Those that did work were very helpful and productive.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The textbook had only a few issues with grammar, such as missing spaces in the text under diagrams, exponent formatting in mathematical statements, know vs known typo in an example, and inconsistencies in the formatting of vector equations.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook being focused on the application of mathematics and physics does not seem to be culturally insensitive or offensive. The examples inherently do not have the capability to exhibit diversity and inclusion concerns. If possible, it could make use of examples that are inclusive of a range of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.