The Geometry of Equilibrium
The Geometry of Equilibrium
James Clerk Maxwell is one of the giants of scientific thought, and whilst his groundbreaking contributions to electromagnetism and statistical physics are well known, his profound insights into the theory of structures are appreciated less widely. Maxwell's approach was deeply geometrical, and this richly illustrated book reveals his astute perception of the remarkable dualities that exist between the form of a structure and the forces it can carry, with understandings that will surprise contemporary readers. Early chapters introduce the background in which Maxwell was working, followed by contributions by leading researchers describing the latest applications of these ideas. Subsequent chapters introduce the many subtopics that this work embraces. The book ends with Maxwell's original papers on structural mechanics, each annotated to highlight and explain the ideas therein. This is a wonderful resource for mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and designers to enter this rich and underexplored aspect of the genius of Maxwell.
- Shines a light on Maxwell's previously overlooked work in structural mechanics
- Renders Maxwell's work accessible to the modern reader, combining annotations of the original texts with detailed summaries
- Includes rediscovered ideas, with exciting applications in the 21st century
Product details
May 2025Hardback
9781009397612
322 pages
254 × 203 mm
Not yet published - available from May 2025
Table of Contents
- List of Contributors
- Preface
- Editorial note
- Part I. Maxwell and Structural Mechanics:
- 1. James Clerk Maxwell and structural mechanics William Baker and John Ochsendorf
- 2. The importance of Maxwell's writings for 21st-century structural mechanics William Baker, Petia Tzokova, Juney Lee and Allan McRobie
- 3. Geometric rigidity theory Robert Connelly, Simon Guest, Bernd Schulze and Walter Whiteley
- 4. Maxwell's relevance to modern research in materials Heinrich Jaeger, Sidney Nagel and Vincenzo Vitelli
- 5. Isotropic and architectural geometry Cameron Millar and Helmut Pottmann
- 6. A brief introduction to mid-19th-century projective geometry and topology Marina Konstantatou and William Baker
- Part II. Concepts from Maxwell's Articles on Structural Mechanics:
- 7. Plane reciprocal diagrams Corentin Fivet, Allan McRobie and William Baker
- 8. Rules on counting, mechanisms and states of self-stress Allan McRobie and Marina Konstantatou
- 9. The unit load method and the Maxwell reciprocal theorem Petia Tzokova, William Baker and Allan McRobie
- 10. Maxwell's load path theorem William Baker and Petia Tzokova
- 11. Projections of polyhedra Marina Konstantatou, William Baker and Allan McRobie
- 12. Legendre transforms and polarities Allan McRobie and Marina Konstantatou
- 13. Rankine reciprocal diagrams in three dimensions Masoud Akbarzadeh, Tom Van Mele, Juney Lee, Marton Hablicsek and Philippe Block
- 14. Vector-based form and force diagrams in three dimensions Pierluigi D'Acunto and Patrick Ole Ohlbrock
- 15. The two methods of representing stress in a three-dimensional body Toby Mitchell
- 16. On the equilibrium of stress in a solid body Alessandro Beghini and Toby Mitchell
- Part III. Annotated Original Articles by Maxwell on Structural Mechanics: note about this re-edition of Maxwell's papers
- 1864a. On reciprocal figures and diagrams of forces
- 1864b. On the calculation of the equilibrium and stiffness of
- 1867. On the application of the theory of reciprocal polar figures to the construction of diagrams of forces
- 1868. On reciprocal diagrams in space, and their relation to Airy's function of stress
- 1870a. On reciprocal figures, frames, and diagrams of forces
- 1870b. Communication: On reciprocal figures, frames, and diagrams of forces
- 1876. On Bow's method of drawing diagrams in graphical statics, with illustrations from Peaucellier's linkage
- References
- Index.
