Mechanics of Materials

Well, this isn't the 100% answer - maybe 70%. You could do one of the open courseware courses like at MIT, but that requires a lot of preparation and possible tutoring help. If you're looking for a more practical, down-to-earth approach, you could get a copy of Simplified Mechanics and Strengths of Materials by Harry Parker and James Ambrose. A used copy should be less than $25. That should give you much of what you want at a very readable level. If you have problems with stuff, most of us on here don't have real lives (except the hour a day in the exercise yard) and would be more than happy to help you.

Thanks for the suggestion. The book is available for less than $25 as you suggested, and I may go ahead and buy it. What I really want is a tutor who can suggest a book to work with and go through it, but I may just be out of luck. Slogging through a book may be my only viable choice.

I'm not sure about the North Texas Chapter of ASM but the Houston Chapter offers some of the excellent ASM courses which can also be taken online or via mail. They usually teach Metallurgy for the Non-metallurgist which is an excellent starting place at least once a year over at Rice University one evening a week for 6 weeks or so. Usually in the Fall. I like them because they are taught by working metallurgists in industry who know what is really important instead of by a PhD that has never had to work in the real world. I have taken a number of the courses over the years and I have learned quite a bit. Now they are elgible for college credit as well which they were not when I started taking the classes. This Spring semester (which has already started unfortunately) they are offering Practical Oilfield Metallurgy and Metallurgy of Welding and Joining.

I do wish other chapters would follow the Houston Chapter's lead on this but unfortunately most do not.

OK, WHen you say materials, That tells us that you want more than just metals.

Saying mechanics of materials, says that you want more than an interesting discussion that characterizes materials (like Stephen L. Sass's emminently readable "the substance of civilization."

Metallurgy is where the whole field started.

You would be hard pressed to find a better text than Geroge w. Dieters "Mechanical Metallurgy." McGraw Hill I have third edition. Once you learn about metals, the concepts overlay all the polymer/ composite and non metallic materials in terms of testing and performance parameters.

I'll bet I have 30 book marks in my copy.

'The plastic deformation of metals' by RWK Honeycombe is an excellent book if the principles of workhardening are important to you.

Both of the above are available through ASM http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/asm/AsmStore/

A handy book, with facts, and data, but slim on "teachin" is Modern MAchine shops guide to engineering materials. its available though hanser gardner publications in Cincinnatti.

If I had to practice in the field, and could only have one book, Metals handbook desk edition from ASM would be that book.

If materials includes Metals, YOU SHOULD OWN THAT BOOK.

One textbook that you might be able to track down covering more than just metallurgy would be L.H Van Vlack's "material Science for engineers" addison wesley publisher.

My second printing copy predates much of the current work in carbon and nanomaterials, but it has a couple of chapters that touch on polymers, and composites. It has some very good discussions of failure mechanisms and service stability, as well as a host of semiconduction, magnetic, and electronic properties of solids.

I'm a metals guy, so my list has a metals bias.

milo

That's a lot of good information. I have a call in to ASM right now and I'm waiting for a reply. I appreciate the help.

Great. If you end up in the steel side of things, I will probably be able to talk you through the rough spots.

milo

The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa offers an off-campus ME degree, with the vast majority of coursework delivered via VHS or DVD. If you want the college credit you might want to speak with UA.

Dave, that is excellent news, I'm really glad to hear that someone is offering a BSME via distance learning.

It's a good program; that's how I'm doing it. The kicker is, though, that to do the labs you need to be able to spend a Saturday at their satellite campus in Dothan, AL. Still, I can't complain.

Take a look at www.asminternational.org (American Society for Materials International). I believe there is also a North Texas (Dallas) chapter of ASM.

ASM publishes textbooks and handbooks on a range of materials. They also offer courses on materials through both the national and local chapters.