Understanding the World's Greatest Structures : Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity /
Stephen Ressler ; The Teaching Company.
- 1st ed.
- Chantilly, VA : The Teaching Company, 2011.
- 4 DVDs (720 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 Course Guidebook.
- The Great Courses Science & Mathematics Engineering .
Includes 24 x 30 min. lectures. Also includes a Course Guidebook.
Includes bibliographical references.
"Understanding the World's Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity -- a marvelous learning experience that takes you around the world and reveals the stories behind the most famous bridges, churches, skyscrapers, towers, and other structures from thousands of years of history. These 24 lectures take you on a fascinating and richly illustrated tour that deftly blends history and science to create an unforgettable survey of our world's most remarkable structural masterpieces, one informed by the fundamentals of structural engineering and their underlying scientific principles" (Publisher's Website) DVD CONTENTS: DISC 1 Lecture 01. Learning to See and Understand Structure Lecture 02. The Science of Structure - Forces in Balance Lecture 03. Internal Forces, Stress, and Strength Lecture 04. From Wood to Steel - Properties of Materials Lecture 05. Building Up - Columns and Buckling Lecture 06. Building Across - Beams and Bending DISC 2 Lecture 07. Trusses - The Power of the Triangle Lecture 08. Cables and Arches - The Power of the Parabola Lecture 09. Loads and Structural Systems Lecture 10. Egypt and Greece - Pyramids to the Parthenon Lecture 11. The Glory of Rome in Arches and Vaults Lecture 12. The Rise and Fall of the Gothic Cathedral DISC 3 Lecture 13. Three Great Domes: Rome to the Renaissance Lecture 14. How Iron and Science Transformed Arch Bridges Lecture 15. Suspension Bridges: the Battle of the Cable Lecture 16. Suspension Bridges: the Challenge of Wind Lecture 17. Great Cantilever Bridges: Tragedy and Triumph Lecture 18. The Rise of Iron and Steel Framed Buildings DISC 4 Lecture 19. The Great Skyscraper Race Lecture 20. The Beauty and Versatility of Modern Concrete Lecture 21. Amazing Thin Shells: Strength from Curvature Lecture 22. Vast Roof Systems of Iron and Steel Lecture 23. The Incredible Lightness of Tension Structures Lecture 24. Strategies for Understanding Any Structure BOOK CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION Professor Biography Course Scope LECTURE GUIDES Lecture 1: Learning to See and Understand Structure Lecture 2: The Science of Structure - Forces in Balance Lecture 3: Internal Forces, Stress, and Strength Lecture 4: From Wood to Steel - Properties of Materials Lecture 5: Building Up - Columns and Buckling Lecture 6: Building Across - Beams and Bending Lecture 7: Trusses - The Power of the Triangle Lecture 8: Cables and Arches - The Power of the Parabola Lecture 9: Loads and Structural Systems Lecture 10: Egypt and Greece - Pyramids to the Parthenon Lecture 11: The Glory of Rome in Arches and Vaults Lecture 12: The Rise and Fall of the Gothic Cathedral Lecture 13: Three Great Domes: Rome to the Renaissance Lecture 14: How Iron and Science Transformed Arch Bridges Lecture 15: Suspension Bridges: the Battle of the Cable Lecture 16: Suspension Bridges: the Challenge of Wind Lecture 17: Great Cantilever Bridges: Tragedy and Triumph Lecture 18: The Rise of Iron and Steel Framed Buildings Lecture 19: The Great Skyscraper race Lecture 20: The Beauty and Versatility of Modern Concrete Lecture 21: Amazing Thin Shells: Strength from Curvature Lecture 22: Vast Roof Systems of Iron and Steel Lecture 23: The Incredible Lightness of Tension Structures SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL Answers to Selected Questions Great Structures Discussed in this Course Timeline - Important Discoveries and Developments in Structural Engineering Glossary Bibliography