Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. Design Paradigms
  • Cited by 230
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
June 2012
Print publication year:
1994
Online ISBN:
9780511805073
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511805073
Subjects:
Engineering, Engineering Design, Kinematics, and Robotics, Engineering: General Interest
Information

Book description

From ancient Greek temples to twentieth-century towers, engineers have learned more about design from failure than success. The concept of error, according to the author, is central to the design process. As a way of explaining the enduring aspects of engineering design, he relates stories of some of the greatest engineering successes and failures of all time. These case studies, drawn from a wide range of times and places, serve as paradigms of error and judgment in engineering design. By showing how errors were introduced in the design process and how they might be avoided, the book suggests how better quality and reliability might be achieved in designed devices, structures, and systems of all kinds. Clearly written, with striking illustrations, the book will appeal to engineering students, practising engineers, historians of science and technology, and all those interested in learning about the process of design.

Reviews

‘The reader will be well served, especially because the case histories are so interesting and well presented in themselves.’

N. A. F. Smith Source: Nature

‘Extremely well documented and illustrated … Design Paradigms can be read by all those interested in engineering, not just structural engineers.’

Tom Wyatt Source: New Scientist

‘…excellent,it should be essential reading for every student, practising engineer and manager of engineering work.’

Source: Journal of Naval Engineering

‘… will prove fascinating and intelligible to the non-technical reader.’

Professor Ronald N. Bracewell Source: The Times Higher Education Supplement

‘… a lively and informative read, it presents a dozen excellent case studies from 2000 years of structural engineering history, showing how engineers can learn from failures.’

Bill Addis Source: New Scientist

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

Contents

Contents

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.