Skip to main content
  • Textbook
  • © 2019

Engineering Dynamics

A Primer

  • Emphasizes a systematic approach to establishing equations of motions for models of mechanical systems

  • Provides systematic approach with a wide range of examples

  • Employs simulations and analyses throughout the text to motivate and explore the development of models for mechanical systems

  • Emphasis on understanding rather than rote memorization

  • Revisions in the latest edition have been primarily motivated by student commentary and feedback on earlier editions

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check for access.

Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xviii
  2. Dynamics of a Single Particle

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Elementary Particle Dynamics

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 3-19
    3. Particles and Cylindrical Polar Coordinates

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 21-34
    4. Particles and Space Curves

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 35-65
    5. Friction Forces and Spring Forces

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 67-94
    6. Power, Work, and Energy

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 95-117
  3. Dynamics of a System of Particles

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 119-119
    2. Momenta, Impulses, and Collisions

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 121-141
    3. Dynamics of Systems of Particles

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 143-169
  4. Dynamics of a Single Rigid Body

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 171-171
    2. Planar Kinematics of Rigid Bodies

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 173-203
    3. Kinetics of a Rigid Body

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 205-242
  5. Dynamics of Systems of Particles and Rigid Bodies

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 243-243
    2. Systems of Particles and Rigid Bodies

      • Oliver M. O’Reilly
      Pages 245-274
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 275-299

About this book

This primer is intended to provide the theoretical background for the standard undergraduate, mechanical engineering course in dynamics. Representative problems are discussed and simulated throughout the book to illustrate fundamental concepts and explore the development of mathematical models for mechanical systems. The text grew out of the author’s desire to provide a complement to traditional texts on the subject and promote a systematic approach to problem solving. For all the examples discussed in the primer, a systematic four-step approach is employed. The third edition of the text has been revised in response to student comments on earlier editions and the increased availability of simulation software. The revisions include the addition of several new examples of models for the dynamics of systems ranging from an aerosol spray to a spherical robot. The primer has three intended audiences: undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory course on engineering dynamics, graduate students who are interesting in refreshing their knowledge, and instructors.









Review of Second Edition:

"The book is carefully written and provides a good introduction to the subject. The main objective of this primer is to reduce the gap between the theoretical framework and an undergraduate student’s ability to solve typical problems of undergraduate dynamics. Well-selected problems illustrate a systematic four-step methodology for solving problems from the dynamics of single particles, of systems of particles, of a single rigid body, and of a system of particles and rigid bodies. … At the end of each chapter some illustrative examples were added."

Franz Selig, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1201, 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA

    Oliver M. O'Reilly

About the author

Oliver M. O’Reilly is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught at this institution since 1992 and received multiple teaching awards including the Distinguished Teaching Award of the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of two other textbooks and coauthor of a research monograph on discrete elastic rods.  The author’s research interest lie in a variety of topics including the dynamics of soft robots, rotations of rigid bodies, mathematical models for the mechanics of plant growth, the dynamics of toys, and the failure of shoelace knots.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Engineering Dynamics

  • Book Subtitle: A Primer

  • Authors: Oliver M. O'Reilly

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11745-0

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Statistics (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-11744-3Published: 05 March 2019

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-11745-0Published: 23 February 2019

  • Edition Number: 3

  • Number of Pages: XVIII, 299

  • Number of Illustrations: 81 b/w illustrations, 105 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Applications of Mathematics, Solid Mechanics, Classical Mechanics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access