In any field the importance of a thorough knowledge of fundamentals cannot be over emphasised. Fundamentals have always been stressed in the learning of new skills. Similarly, the mechanics branch of science which deals with the forces and their effect on bodies on which they act is founded on basic concepts and forms the ground-work for further study in the design and analysis of machines and structures. Mechanics can be divided into two parts. (Fig. 1.1) (i) ‘Statics’ which relates to the bodies at rest and (ii) ‘dynamics’ which deals with bodies in motion. (In mechanics the term strength of materials refers to the ability of the individual parts of a machine or structure to resist loads. It also permits the determination of dimensions to ensure

2.1. Force. 2.2. Units of force. 2.3. Characteristics of a force. 2.4. Representation of forces. 2.5. Classification of forces. 2.6. Force systems. 2.7. Free body diagrams. 2.8. Transmissibility of a force. 2.9. Particle. 2.10. Resultant force. 2.11. Component of a force. 2.12. Principle of resolved parts. 2.13. Laws of forces. 2.14. Resultant of several coplanar concurrent forces. 2.15. Equilibrium conditions for coplanar concurrent forces. 2.16. Lami’s theorem—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

3.1. Moments. 3.2. Clockwise and anti-clockwise moments. 3.3. Principle of moments. 3.4. Equilibrium conditions for bodies under coplanar non-concurrent forces. 3.5. Varignon’s theorem. 3.6. Parallel forces. 3.7. Graphical method for finding the resultant of any number of like or unlike parallel forces. 3.8. Couple. 3.9. Properties of a couple. 3.10. Engineering applications of moments—The lever—The balance—The common steel yard—Lever safety valve. 3.11. Resultant of a coplanar, non-concurrent, non parallel force system—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples

4.1. Centre of gravity of a body. 4.2. Determination of centre of gravity. 4.3 Centroid. 4.4. Positions of centroids of plane geometrical figures. 4.5. Positions of centre of gravity of regular solids. 4.6 (a). Centroids of composite areas. 4.6 (b). Centre of gravity of simple solids. 4.7. Areas and volumes—Centroid method. 4.8. Centre of gravity in a few simple cases—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

5.1. Moment of inertia. 5.2. Theorem of parallel axes. 5.3. Theorem of perpendicular axes. 5.4. Radius of gyration of the section. 5.5. Moment of inertia of laminae of different shapes— Worked examples—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions— Unsolved Examples.

6.1. Concept of friction. 6.2. Characteristics of frictional force. 6.3. Types of friction. 6.4. Static and Dynamic friction. 6.5. Limiting friction. 6.6. Laws of friction—Law of static friction—Laws of dynamic or kinetic friction. 6.7. Angle of friction. 6.8. Co-efficient of friction. 6.9. Angle of repose. 6.10. Cone of friction. 6.11. Motion of body on horizontal plane. 6.12. Motion up an inclined plane. 6.13. Motion down an inclined plane. 6.14. Screw friction. 6.15. Screw jack—Highlights— Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

7.1. Concept of motion. 7.2. Def initions. 7.3. Displacement-time graphs. 7.4. Velocity-time graphs. 7.5. Equations of motion under uniform acceleration—First equation of motion—Second equation of motion—Third equation of motion. 7.6. Distance covered in nth second by a body moving with uniform acceleration. 7.7. Motion under gravity. 7.8. Some hints on the use of equations of motion. —Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples

8.1. Introduction. 8.2. Momentum. 8.3. Newton’s first law of motion. 8.4. Newton’s second law of motion. 8.5. Newton’s third law of motion. 8.6. Gravitational and absolute units of force. 8.7. Law of conservation of momentum. 8.8. Impulse and impulsive force. 8.9. D’ Alembert’s principle. 8.10. Motion of lift. 8.11. Motion of two bodies connected by a string passing over a smooth pulley. 8.12. Motion of two bodies connected at the edge of a horizontal surface. 8.13. Motion of two bodies connected by a string one end of which is hanging free and the other lying on a rough inclined plane. 8.14. Motion of two bodies connected over rough inclined planes—Highlights— Objective Type Questions—Unsolved Examples.

9.1. Concept of work. 9.2. Units of work. 9.3. Graphical representation of work. 9.4. Power— Units of power—Indicated power (I.P.)—Brake power (B.P.). 9.5. Law of conservation of energy— Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Unsolved Examples.

10.1. General concept of a machine. 10.2. Important definitions. 10.3. Relation between M.A., V.R. and η. 10.4. Concept of friction in a machine. 10.5. Condition for reversibility of a machine. 10.6. Non-reversible/irreversible or self-locking machine. 10.7. Law of a machine. 10.8. Maximum mechanical advantage, and efficiency. 10.9. Some lifting machines. 10.10. Simple wheel and axle. 10.11. Wheel and differential axle. 10.12. Pulleys–Simple pulley–A single fixed pulley–A movable and a fixed pulley–Combination of pulleys. 10.13. Weston’s differential pulley block. 10.14. Worm and worm wheel. 10.15. Single purchase crab winch. 10.16. Double purchase crab winch. 10.17. Simple screw jack. 10.18. Differential screw jack—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

11.1. Introduction and definitions. 11.2. Equations of angular motion. 11.3. Equations of linear motion and angular motion. 11.4. Relation between linear and angular motion. 11.5. Centrifugal and centripetal force. 11.6. Motion of a cyclist round a curve. 11.7. Motion of a vehicle on a level curved path. 11.8. Motion of a vehicle on a banked circular track. 11.9. Super elevation for railways—Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Exercises—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

12.1. Classification of loads. 12.2. Stress. 12.3. Simple stress. 12.4. Strain—Tensile strain— Compressive strain—Shear strain—Volumetric strain. 12.5. Hooke’s Law. 12.6. Mechanical Properties of metals 12.7. Tensile test. 12.8. Strain hardening (or work hardening). 12.9. Poisson’s ratio. 12.10. Relations between the elastic modulii—Relation between E and C—Relation between E and K. 12.11. Stresses induced in compound ties or struts. 12.12. Thermal stresses and strains— Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.

12.1. Classification of loads. 12.2. Stress. 12.3. Simple stress. 12.4. Strain—Tensile strain— Compressive strain—Shear strain—Volumetric strain. 12.5. Hooke’s Law. 12.6. Mechanical Properties of metals 12.7. Tensile test. 12.8. Strain hardening (or work hardening). 12.9. Poisson’s ratio. 12.10. Relations between the elastic modulii—Relation between E and C—Relation between E and K. 12.11. Stresses induced in compound ties or struts. 12.12. Thermal stresses and strains— Highlights—Objective Type Questions—Theoretical Questions—Unsolved Examples.