David Blockley is an engineer and an academic scientist. He has been Head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and the Royal Society of Arts. He has written four other books including The Penguin Dictionary of Civil Engineering (2005) and Bridges:The science and art of the world's most inspiring structures (2011).
There are many books on science for the general reader, but far fewer such books on engineering. This short introduction to structural engineering contributes to the latter. It is evident that the book's production required a vast knowledge and deep insight into the subject, coupled with a great deal of effort and indubitable ability and vision. Tianjian Ji, The Structural Engineer