Page 20 - Singiresu S. Rao-Mechanical Vibrations in SI Units, Global Edition-Pearson (2017)

PrEFACE 17
Features of the Book

• Each topic in Mechanical Vibrations is self-contained, with all concepts explained fully and the derivations
presented with complete details.
• Computational aspects are emphasized throughout the book. MATLAB-based examples as well as sev-
eral general purpose MATLAB programs with illustrative examples are given in the last section of every
chapter. Numerous problems requiring the use of MATLAB or MATLAB programs (given in the text) are
included at the end of every chapter.
• Certain topics are presented in a somewhat unconventional manner. The topics of Chapters 9, 10, and 11
fall in this category. Most textbooks discuss isolators, absorbers, and balancing in different chapters. Since
one of the main purposes of the study of vibrations is to control vibration response, all topics related to
vibration control are given in Chapter 9. The vibration measuring instruments, along with vibration excit-
ers, experimental modal analysis procedure, and machine condition monitoring, are together presented
in Chapter 10. Similarly, all the numerical integration methods applicable to single- and multi-degree-of-
freedom systems, as well as continuous systems, are unified in Chapter 11.
• Specific features include the following:
∘ 252 illustrative examples are given to accompany most topics.
∘ 988 review questions are included to help students in reviewing and testing their understanding of the
text material. The review questions are in the form of multiple choice questions, questions with brief
answers, true-false questions, questions involving matching of related descriptions, and fill-in-the-
blank type questions.
∘ An extensive set of problems is given in each chapter emphasizing a variety of applications of the
material covered in that chapter. In total, there are 1214 problems, with solutions in the instructor’s
manual.
∘ 34 design-project-type problems, many with no unique solution, are given at the end of various chapters.
∘ 55 MATLAB programs are included to aid students in the numerical implementation of the methods
discussed in the text.
∘ Biographical information about 22 scientists and engineers who contributed to the development of the
theory of vibrations is presented on the opening pages of all chapters and appendices.
∘ MATLAB programs given in the book, answers to problems, and answers to review questions can be
found on the Companion Website, www.pearsonglobaleditions.com/rao. The Solutions Manual, with
solutions to all problems and hints to design projects, is available to instructors who adopt the text for
their courses via download from "Instructor Resources" at www.pearsonglobaleditions.com/rao.

Units and notation
The SI system of units has been used in the examples and problems. A list of symbols, along with the associated
units in the SI system, appears after the Acknowledgments. A brief discussion of SI units as they apply to the field
of vibrations is given in Appendix E. Arrows are used over symbols to denote column vectors and square brackets
are used to indicate matrices.