Mechanics

@book{gordon1978structures,
    author = "Gordon, J. E.",
    title = "Structures or Why things don’t fall down",
    year = "1978",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9074-3",
    doi = "10.1007/978-1-4615-9074-3",
    openalex = "W4300994059"
}

@misc{gordon1978structures1,
    author = "Gordon, J. E",
    title = "Structures, or Why Things Don't Fall Down",
    year = "1978",
    howpublished = "Middlesex, Penguin Books",
    note = "talkorigins\_source = {true}; raw\_reference = {Gordon, J. E., 1978, Structures, or Why Things Don't Fall Down: Middlesex, Penguin Books.}"
}

@article{crossref1979structures,
    title = "Structures: or why things don't fall down",
    year = "1979",
    journal = "Design Studies",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694x(79)90033-4",
    doi = "10.1016/0142-694x(79)90033-4",
    number = "1",
    openalex = "W4299709420",
    pages = "61-62",
    volume = "1"
}

First Page

@article{doi101119112007,
    author = "Gordon, James and Stewart, Maurice Bruce",
    title = "Structures, or Why Things Don ’ t Fall Down",
    year = "1980",
    journal = "American Journal of Physics",
    abstract = "First Page",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1119/1.12007",
    doi = "10.1119/1.12007",
    openalex = "W2157484092"
}

@article{crossref1992why,
    title = "Why buildings fall down: how structures fail",
    year = "1992",
    journal = "Choice Reviews Online",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.30-2100",
    doi = "10.5860/choice.30-2100",
    number = "04",
    openalex = "W1517293526",
    pages = "30-2100-30-2100",
    volume = "30"
}

@incollection{crossref2000things,
    title = "Things that Won’t Fall Down",
    year = "2000",
    booktitle = "Classroom Resource Materials",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.5948/upo9781614441069.008",
    doi = "10.5948/upo9781614441069.008",
    openalex = "W2485506728",
    pages = "15-16"
}

@article{doi105860choice382180,
    title = "Collapse: when buildings fall down",
    year = "2000",
    journal = "Choice Reviews Online",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.38-2180",
    doi = "10.5860/choice.38-2180",
    openalex = "W657855426"
}

Preface - Introduction - PART I: PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES - Mechanical Forces - Mass, Stiffness, and Damping of Proteins - Thermal Forces and Diffusion - Chemical Forces - Polymer Mechanics - PART II: CYTOSKELETON - Structures of Cytoskeletal Filaments - Mechanics of the Cytoskeleton - Polymerization of Cytoskeletal Filaments - Force Generation by Cytoskeletal Filaments - Active Polymerization - PART III: MOTOR PROTEINS - Structures of Motor Proteins - Speeds of Motors - ATP Hydrolysis - Steps and Forces - Motility Models: From Crossbridges to Motion - Afterword - Appendix - Bibliography - Index

@article{doi10111511451234,
    author = "Howard, Jonathon and Clark, RL",
    title = "Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the Cytoskeleton",
    year = "2002",
    journal = "Applied Mechanics Reviews",
    abstract = "Preface - Introduction - PART I: PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES - Mechanical Forces - Mass, Stiffness, and Damping of Proteins - Thermal Forces and Diffusion - Chemical Forces - Polymer Mechanics - PART II: CYTOSKELETON - Structures of Cytoskeletal Filaments - Mechanics of the Cytoskeleton - Polymerization of Cytoskeletal Filaments - Force Generation by Cytoskeletal Filaments - Active Polymerization - PART III: MOTOR PROTEINS - Structures of Motor Proteins - Speeds of Motors - ATP Hydrolysis - Steps and Forces - Motility Models: From Crossbridges to Motion - Afterword - Appendix - Bibliography - Index",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1451234",
    doi = "10.1115/1.1451234",
    openalex = "W2151274733"
}

@incollection{crossref2005things,
    title = "Things Fall Apart",
    year = "2005",
    booktitle = "The Case for Palestine",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822386766-003",
    doi = "10.1215/9780822386766-003",
    openalex = "W2477794153",
    pages = "23-31"
}

Progressive collapse is a failure mode of great concern for tall buildings, and is also typical of building demolitions. The most infamous paradigm is the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. After reviewing the mechanics of their collapse, the motion during the crushing of one floor (or group of floors) and its energetics are analyzed, and a dynamic one-dimensional continuum model of progressive collapse is developed. Rather than using classical homogenization, it is found more effective to characterize the continuum by an energetically equivalent snap-through. The collapse, in which two phases—crush-down followed by crush-up—must be distinguished, is described in each phase by a nonlinear second-order differential equation for the propagation of the crushing front of a compacted block of accreting mass. Expressions for consistent energy potentials are formulated and an exact analytical solution of a special case is given. It is shown that progressive collapse will be triggered if the total (internal) energy loss during the crushing of one story (equal to the energy dissipated by the complete crushing and compaction of one story, minus the loss of gravity potential during the crushing of that story) exceeds the kinetic energy impacted to that story. Regardless of the load capacity of the columns, there is no way to deny the inevitability of progressive collapse driven by gravity alone if this criterion is satisfied (for the World Trade Center it is satisfied with an order-of-magnitude margin). The parameters are the compaction ratio of a crushed story, the fracture of mass ejected outside the tower perimeter, and the energy dissipation per unit height. The last is the most important, yet the hardest to predict theoretically. It is argued that, using inverse analysis, one could identify these parameters from a precise record of the motion of floors of a collapsing building. Due to a shroud of dust and smoke, the videos of the World Trade Center are only of limited use. It is proposed to obtain such records by monitoring (with millisecond accuracy) the precise time history of displacements in different modes of building demolitions. The monitoring could be accomplished by real-time telemetry from sacrificial accelerometers, or by high-speed optical camera. The resulting information on energy absorption capability would be valuable for the rating of various structural systems and for inferring their collapse mode under extreme fire, internal explosion, external blast, impact or other kinds of terrorist attack, as well as earthquake and foundation movements.

@article{doi101061asce0733939920071333308,
    author = "Bažant, Zdeněk P. and Verdure, Mathieu",
    title = "Mechanics of Progressive Collapse: Learning from World Trade Center and Building Demolitions",
    year = "2007",
    journal = "Journal of Engineering Mechanics",
    abstract = "Progressive collapse is a failure mode of great concern for tall buildings, and is also typical of building demolitions. The most infamous paradigm is the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. After reviewing the mechanics of their collapse, the motion during the crushing of one floor (or group of floors) and its energetics are analyzed, and a dynamic one-dimensional continuum model of progressive collapse is developed. Rather than using classical homogenization, it is found more effective to characterize the continuum by an energetically equivalent snap-through. The collapse, in which two phases—crush-down followed by crush-up—must be distinguished, is described in each phase by a nonlinear second-order differential equation for the propagation of the crushing front of a compacted block of accreting mass. Expressions for consistent energy potentials are formulated and an exact analytical solution of a special case is given. It is shown that progressive collapse will be triggered if the total (internal) energy loss during the crushing of one story (equal to the energy dissipated by the complete crushing and compaction of one story, minus the loss of gravity potential during the crushing of that story) exceeds the kinetic energy impacted to that story. Regardless of the load capacity of the columns, there is no way to deny the inevitability of progressive collapse driven by gravity alone if this criterion is satisfied (for the World Trade Center it is satisfied with an order-of-magnitude margin). The parameters are the compaction ratio of a crushed story, the fracture of mass ejected outside the tower perimeter, and the energy dissipation per unit height. The last is the most important, yet the hardest to predict theoretically. It is argued that, using inverse analysis, one could identify these parameters from a precise record of the motion of floors of a collapsing building. Due to a shroud of dust and smoke, the videos of the World Trade Center are only of limited use. It is proposed to obtain such records by monitoring (with millisecond accuracy) the precise time history of displacements in different modes of building demolitions. The monitoring could be accomplished by real-time telemetry from sacrificial accelerometers, or by high-speed optical camera. The resulting information on energy absorption capability would be valuable for the rating of various structural systems and for inferring their collapse mode under extreme fire, internal explosion, external blast, impact or other kinds of terrorist attack, as well as earthquake and foundation movements.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)0733-9399(2007)133:3(308)",
    doi = "10.1061/(asce)0733-9399(2007)133:3(308)",
    openalex = "W2149420470",
    references = "crossref1992why, doi1010160016003262909535, doi1010160022460x64900082, doi101016b978148319911550040x, doi101061asce0733939919851113381, doi101061asce073393992002128111119, doi101061asce0733939920071333308, doi10111512900839, doi105860choice291533, openalexw2612283962"
}

@article{doi101016jcompstruct201005003,
    author = "Gibson, Ronald F.",
    title = "A review of recent research on mechanics of multifunctional composite materials and structures",
    year = "2010",
    journal = "Composite Structures",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2010.05.003",
    doi = "10.1016/j.compstruct.2010.05.003",
    openalex = "W2013485427"
}

Nature has developed high-performance materials and structures over millions of years of evolution and provides valuable sources of inspiration for the design of next-generation structural materials, given the variety of excellent mechanical, hydrodynamic, optical, and electrical properties. Biomimicry, by learning from nature's concepts and design principles, is driving a paradigm shift in modern materials science and technology. However, the complicated structural architectures in nature far exceed the capability of traditional design and fabrication technologies, which hinders the progress of biomimetic study and its usage in engineering systems. Additive manufacturing (three-dimensional (3D) printing) has created new opportunities for manipulating and mimicking the intrinsically multiscale, multimaterial, and multifunctional structures in nature. Here, an overview of recent developments in 3D printing of biomimetic reinforced mechanics, shape changing, and hydrodynamic structures, as well as optical and electrical devices is provided. The inspirations are from various creatures such as nacre, lobster claw, pine cone, flowers, octopus, butterfly wing, fly eye, etc., and various 3D-printing technologies are discussed. Future opportunities for the development of biomimetic 3D-printing technology to fabricate next-generation functional materials and structures in mechanical, electrical, optical, and biomedical engineering are also outlined.

@article{doi101002adma201706539,
    author = "Yang, Yang and Song, Xuan and Li, Xiangjia and Chen, Zeyu and Zhou, Chi and Zhou, Qifa and Chen, Yong",
    title = "Recent Progress in Biomimetic Additive Manufacturing Technology: From Materials to Functional Structures",
    year = "2018",
    journal = "Advanced Materials",
    abstract = "Nature has developed high-performance materials and structures over millions of years of evolution and provides valuable sources of inspiration for the design of next-generation structural materials, given the variety of excellent mechanical, hydrodynamic, optical, and electrical properties. Biomimicry, by learning from nature's concepts and design principles, is driving a paradigm shift in modern materials science and technology. However, the complicated structural architectures in nature far exceed the capability of traditional design and fabrication technologies, which hinders the progress of biomimetic study and its usage in engineering systems. Additive manufacturing (three-dimensional (3D) printing) has created new opportunities for manipulating and mimicking the intrinsically multiscale, multimaterial, and multifunctional structures in nature. Here, an overview of recent developments in 3D printing of biomimetic reinforced mechanics, shape changing, and hydrodynamic structures, as well as optical and electrical devices is provided. The inspirations are from various creatures such as nacre, lobster claw, pine cone, flowers, octopus, butterfly wing, fly eye, etc., and various 3D-printing technologies are discussed. Future opportunities for the development of biomimetic 3D-printing technology to fabricate next-generation functional materials and structures in mechanical, electrical, optical, and biomedical engineering are also outlined.",
    url = "https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201706539",
    doi = "10.1002/adma.201706539",
    openalex = "W2809416073",
    references = "doi101016jpmatsci201506001"
}

J. E. Gordon' s classic work Structures: Or Why Things Don' t Fall Down reveals, with captivating and lucid prose, the internal mechanical principles that enable structures in both the natural and humanmade world to remain stably and resist destruction. The book transcends the traditional paradigm of engineering mechanics textbooks, integrating materials science, biology, historical cases, and clever everyday analogies. On this foundation, it provides an insightful yet accessible explanation of how core concepts like " stress" and "strain" shape the forms of all things and determine the limits of their performance.

@article{andzhang2025book,
    author = "ZHANG, Jimin",
    title = "Book Review of Structures:Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down",
    year = "2025",
    journal = "Bulletin of Chinese Civil Engineering",
    abstract = {J. E. Gordon' s classic work Structures: Or Why Things Don' t Fall Down reveals, with captivating and lucid prose, the internal mechanical principles that enable structures in both the natural and humanmade world to remain stably and resist destruction. The book transcends the traditional paradigm of engineering mechanics textbooks, integrating materials science, biology, historical cases, and clever everyday analogies. On this foundation, it provides an insightful yet accessible explanation of how core concepts like " stress" and "strain" shape the forms of all things and determine the limits of their performance.},
    url = "https://doi.org/10.48014/bcce.20250701003",
    doi = "10.48014/bcce.20250701003",
    number = "2",
    openalex = "W7121010281",
    pages = "6-8",
    volume = "3"
}