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Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail

by Matthys Levy and Mario Salvadori

ISBN13: 9780393311525
ISBN10: 039331152x
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The authors examine buildings of all kinds, from ancient domes like Istanbul's Hagia Sophia to the state-of-the-art Hartford Civic Arena. Their subjects range from the man-caused destruction of the Parthenon to the earthquake damage of 1989 in Armenia and San Francisco. The stories that make up Why Buildings Fall Down are in the end very human ones, tales of the interaction of people and nature, of architects, engineers, builders, materials, and natural forces all coming together in sometimes dramatic (and always instructive) ways.

Review:

"The reader is sure to find a disaster that suits his or her taste." New York Times Book Review

Synopsis:

The authors, both premier structural engineers, discuss architectural and structural catastrophes, from the Parthenon and Rome's Coliseum to the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City and the Malpasset Dam in France. This is a feast of architectural flops and flummoxes, natural disasters and human error.

Synopsis:

Whenever a building, bridge, tunnel or dam collapses, it is front page news. Now two of the world's premier structural engineers take readers on a journey through the history of structural disasters, from the Parthenon and Rome's Coliseum to the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. 200 illustrations.

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

: max gearhead, April 7, 2008 (view all comments by max gearhead)
ok, the synopsises ( ?) pretty much cover it, but there is lots more. first, these two have a good sense of humor. while I wouldn't call it a FUNNY book, there are some ironies here that will have you crack a smile. and it is pretty easy reading. for ten bucks ,you will get tons of interesting stories and geek-satisfying detail. it is definately a page-turner, and I was able to go through it at a pretty good clip. the sketches are clear and easy to follow, and you will be biting your nails as you watch the various scenarios unfold to they're some times spectacular end. there is even a great Perry-Mason style courtroom scene. Max sez: c'mon, what else are you going to do ? go get a copy, and lose yourself for a couple of hours in some great architectural adventure ! It's good for your'e head.
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Product Details

ISBN:: 9780393311525
Subtitle:: How Structures Fail
With:: Salvadori, Mario G.
With:: Salvadori, Mario G.
Author:: Levy, Matthys
Author:: Woest, Kevin
Publisher:: W. W. Norton & Company
Location:: New York :
Subject:: General
Subject:: Fiction
Subject:: Construction & Construction Trades
Subject:: Study & Teaching
Subject:: Structural failures
Subject:: Building failures
Subject:: Construction - General
Edition Number:: Rev. ed.
Edition Description:: Updated and expanded ed.
Series Volume:: 133-01
Publication Date:: February 2002
Binding:: Paper Textbook
Language:: English
Illustrations:: Yes
Pages:: 346
Dimensions:: 930x609x90 114

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