Teaching Aids for Structures

The teaching of structural theory lends itself very readily to the use of demonstration models. Generally speaking, no special services such as water, electricity or gas are required so the production of the models need not be over‐complicated. By using such materials as flexible steel strip, deflections and rotations can be magnified onsiderably compared with those found on practice, and even a wooden rule can be used to illustrate characteristic types of bending. In spite of these possibilities the subject of structures has not outgrown its earlier mathematical beginnings. Even the advent of Professor Pippard's book ‘The Experimental Study of Structures’ has not led external examining bodies to demand experimental course work, in addition to graphical and design work.