Long before... our techniques of today, men could conceive and build structures adapted to the requirements of resistance... because he had observed.… - Eduardo Torroja

[M]aterials should resist mechanical forces and other effects... starting with all types of loading and external forces... and with the mechanical properties of the materials... constitutes the part given most emphasis in technical books and schools.

Structural design is... very much concerned with art, common sense, sentiment, aptitude, and enjoyment of the task of creating opportune outlines to which scientific calculations will add finishing touches, substantiating that the structure is sound and strong...

Stone can effectively resist compression but is relatively weak in tension. Because of its mass and weight it may be used advantageously in structural types that can be made stable by the proper weight (dead load, gravity) and are but slightly exposed to lateral forces.