Structural Design
Simplified Design of Building Foundations, by James Ambrose.
John Wiley & Sons. New York. 1981. 333 pages. $36.95
hardcover.
by Paul Hanke
I used an earlier version of the
Simplified Design series back when I
studied structural mechanics in
school. Since those days the author
has changed, but the books continue
to be an excellent resource for
designers and builders.
Like others in the series, Building
Foundations is written for readers who
understand algebra, plane geometry,
and trigonometry-over the heads of
some, but a good middle ground
between simple rules of thumb and
consulting an engineer.
At the beginning, author James
Ambrose describes the frequent need
for alterations after the foundation is
built, which reflects my own
experiences. "Great accuracy and
perfection