In preparing the various sections of this handbook, the following individuals either contributed sections, or portions of sections, or advised the editor or contributors, or both, on the optimum content of specific sections. The affiliations shown are those prevailing at the time of the preparation of the contributed material or the recommendations as to section content.

In choosing the procedures and worked-out problems, these specialists used a number of guidelines, including: (1) What are the most common applied problems that must be solved in this discipline? (2) What are the most accurate methods for solving these problems? (3) What other problems might be met in this discipline? When the answers to these and other related questions were obtained, the procedures and worked-out problems were chosen. Thus, the handbook represents a cross section of the thinking of a large number of experienced practicing engineers, project directors, and educators.

To those who might claim that the use of step-by-step solution procedures and worked-out examples makes engineering too easy, the editor points out that for many years engineering educators have recognized the importance and value of problem solving in the development of engineering judgment and experience. Problems courses have been popular in numerous engineering schools for many years and are still given in many schools. However, with the greater emphasis on engineering science in most engineering schools, there is less time for the problems courses. The result is that many of today s graduates can benefit from a more extensive study of specific problem-solving...