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This book examines the theoretical foundations underpinning the field of strength of materials/theory of elasticity, beginning from the origins of the modern theory of elasticity. While the focus is on the advances made within Italy during the nineteenth century, these achievements are framed within the overall European context. The vital contributions of Italian mathematicians, mathematical physicists and engineers in respect of the theory of elasticity, continuum mechanics, structural mechanics, the principle of least work and graphical methods in engineering are carefully explained and discussed. The book represents a work of historical research that primarily comprises original contributions and summaries of work published in journals. It is directed at those graduates in engineering, but also in architecture, who wish to achieve a more global and critical view of the discipline and will also be invaluable for all scholars of the history of mechanics.

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The theory of elasticity in the 19th century.- An aristocratic scholar: Gabrio Piola.- The mathematicians of the Risorgimento.- Solving statically indeterminate systems.- Computations by means of drawings.- Quotations.

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"The authors present an interesting investigation of the historical development of a domain that can be seen as part of applied mathematics or better of applied mechanics or of mathematics for engineers. ... the book is primarily directed to engineers and historians ... . It complements the existing historical studies with the developments in Italy in the 19th century that have been largely neglected up to now and presents historians and specialists a lot of detailed information." (Karl-Heinz Schlote, zbMATH 1329.01002, 2016)

"This book is a historical account of the contributions in the mechanics of solids by Italian scholars in the nineteenth century ... . The book presents material that can be taken as a starting point by those who want to start a research program on a part of the history of mechanics which deserves attention and has not been extensively explored." (Paolo Maria Mariano, Mathematical Reviews, October, 2015)

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Danilo Capecchi is full professor of mechanics of solids and of history of science at the University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy). His researches in the history of science mainly concern classical mechanics.

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