Book excerpt: Strength of Materials and Structures: An Introduction to the Mechanics of Solids and Structures provides an introduction to the application of basic ideas in solid and structural mechanics to engineering problems. This book begins with a simple discussion of stresses and strains in materials, structural components, and forms they take in tension, compression, and shear. The general properties of stress and strain and its application to a wide range of problems are also described, including shells, beams, and shafts. This text likewise considers an introduction to the important principle of virtual work and its two special forms—leading to strain energy and complementary energy. The last chapters are devoted to buckling, vibrations, and impact stresses. This publication is a good reference for engineering undergraduates who are in their first or second years.