Engineering Dynamics: A Primer

Abstract

This primer is intended to provide the theoretical background forthe standard undergraduate, mechanical engineering course in dynamics.It grew out of the author's desire to provide a compliment to thestandard texts on the subject in which the gap between the theorypresented and the problems to be solved is often times too large.The primer has three intended audiences: undergraduate students enrolledin a course on introductory engineering dynamics, graduate studentswho are interested in refreshing their knowledge of undergraduatedynamics, and instructors. In the primer, the theoretical frameworknecessary to tackle most of the problems presented in an undergraduatedynamics text is presented. This background is then illuminated usinga range of examples. For all of the examples, a systematic four-stepapproach is employed. In this second edition, the author has addednew examples and exercises and revised the exposition of severaltopics. For most of the examples in the first edition, such as therolling and sliding disk, the projectile problem, and the particleon a cone, the author has included more substantial analyses.Oliver M. O'Reilly is a professor of mechanical engineering at theUniversity of California in Berkeley. He is the recipient of multipledepartmental teaching awards and the Distinguished Teaching Awardof the University of California at Berkeley, and the author of IntermediateDynamics for Engineers. The author's research interests lie in avariety of topics in mechanics ranging from brake squeal and thedynamics of the human spine to ocean wave energy converters and plantgrowth.Reviews from the first edition: “This primer offers a good theoreticalbackground for a first course in dynamics. For students who wantto truly understand and analyze problems in dynamics, this primeris well worth having.” -Bulletin of Mathematics Books (2002) “Thematerial is well presented, and easily digested. While written formechanical engineers in mind, this primer is quite appropriate forphysicists too. Full and valuable references are cited.” -ContemporaryPhysics “The material in the primer has three divisions: single-particledynamics, dynamics of systems of particles, and the dynamics of rigidbodies. The book is carefully written and provides a good introductionto the subject.” -AMS Mathematical Reviews (2002)