Book excerpt: Pergamon Series of Monographs on Furniture and Timber, Volume 10: An Introduction to Timber Engineering presents in readable form an understanding of timber engineering, which covers important aspects of the building industry particularly in the field of prefabrication. The chapters of this book present a good understanding of the many integrated divisions of the industry involved in timber engineering. The examples provided on design indicate the method of adapting normal structural analysis for use with timber and joint forms. Most of the information specified in this volume are British practices, but reference to other European and North American developments are also included to provide a fuller understanding of the industry as a whole and need for local variations to suit climatic conditions and raw material supplies. Some of the topics discussed include the timber engineering developments in Europe and North America; timber as a structural material; structural timber forms; mechanical joints; design of columns and struts; and preservation of timber from decay. This publication is a useful reference to building and engineering students.