- What am I doing here? The main objective of this course is to help you gain
the ability to analyze structural engineering problems in a
simple and logical manner. The first part of the course focuses on the
analysis of “rigid bodies” in equilibrium. Problems will emphasize
structures, including beams, cables, and trusses. The
second part of the course focuses on structures made of “real”
materials having elasticity and finite strength. You
will use the concepts of stress and strain in structural members
experiencing tension, compression, shear, bending, and twisting to
evaluate the possibility of their failure. Finally, you will use
Mohr's circle and the Von Mises stress to ensure that your analysis is
performed from the appropriate perspective.
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- There
are two textbooks for this class: Vector Mechanics for Engineers –
Statics, by Beer, Johnston & Eisenberg (8th edition,
McGraw Hill), and Mechanics of Materials, by Beer, Johnston, &
DeWolf (4th edition, McGraw Hill). These books will be used
in the first and second parts of the course, respectively.
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- Hey! Why are there two books? This material is typically presented in two
different courses at engineering schools, and these are texts for
those courses. We will cover chapters 1 through 7 of Statics, and 1 through 8 of Materials.
Both books have great example problems and illuminating text. If you
are planning on a career in mechanical, civil, or environmental
engineering, I strongly recommend that you purchase and keep both
books, even after the semester ends.
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- How
will I be graded? Your
grade will be determined by:
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-
- Each
of the four exams (including the “final”) will cover the specific
material from the weeks preceding it. However, all of the exams are
effectively cumulative for the course, since you cannot master the
material for the second exam unless you understand the material from
the first (and so on). Really.
-
-
The
bridge competition will be held in Bailey 135 beginning at 3:45pm on
Thursday, May 1, 2008.
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- Can I do homework on Post-it notes? Are you kidding? In the real world, neatness counts,
and it counts in this class, too. Written assignments will be
collected daily, at the beginning
of class. More information concerning written homework can be found on
the reverse side of this syllabus.
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-
When are the
tests?
Here is a tentative schedule of exams. Exams #1 through #3 are currently
scheduled as “in class” exams. If the entire class (including
Dr. Pogo) agrees, any exam time, date, or length can be changed (to
a two hour evening exam, for example). Such changes will not affect
the exam questions itself. In any case, the time limit for exams #1
through #3 will not exceed two hours.
-
- Exam #1:
Friday, February 15, 2008
(chapters
1 through 4 of Statics)
- Exam #2:
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
(chapters
5 through 7 of Statics)
- Exam #3:
Monday, April 14, 2008
(chapters
1 through 3 of Materials)
- Exam #4:
Monday, May 14, 2008, 8:00am - 11:00am
(chapters 4 through 8 of Materials)
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Homework
Rules
- The
following rules exist for my convenience in grading, and are
non-negotiable. Violation of these rules will negatively affect your
course grade.
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1)
Use
exactly 8˝ ´ 11 inch paper. Do not use any spiral ring
paper.
- 2)
Use
only one side of each sheet.
- 3)
Put
your name on the top of every page. Put the assignment number on the
top of the first page (e.g., “Applied, Assignment #3B, etc.).
- 4)
Staple
all your sheets together. Paper-clips and torn corners are not permitted.
- 5)
Clearly
indicate the problem number that you are working on (e.g., problem
3-17).
- 6)
Work
must progress linearly down the page. If your solution initially
meanders around the page, I expect you to
recopy your solutions.
- 7)
Use
a pencil. Erase errors instead of blotching them out.
- 8)
Draw
and use Free Body diagrams as appropriate for all problems. Define
and use coordinate systems. Specify your choice of “free body”.
Label your forces.
- 9)
Define your symbols, and use subscripts. Not all
forces can be called “F”,
not all tensions can be called “T”,
and not all normal forces can be “N”.
Every symbol must be unique and clearly defined. Make a list or
table of relevant symbols and their values when this will help me to
understand your solution.
-
10) Do not bother to submit nonsensical results (e.g., a negative
tension in a chain or rope).
- 11)
Use words and/or pictures to clarify your method of solution and your symbol
definitions.
- 12)
Solutions should be symbolic, with numerical values inserted only
after the complete solution.
Include the initial fundamental formulas. After your solution, when
you do plug in numeric values, show them explicitly, and
include units.
- 13)
Don’t use
more than 4 sig figs in your final answer.
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14)
Box
your answers, and include the symbol and units with your answers:
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-
- 15)
Working together is strongly discouraged. Obviously, this rule is unenforceable.
But over the years, I
have observed an extremely
strong correlation between working together and getting bad exam
grades. You must arrive at your own answers for each problem.
Copying any portion of another student’s work (as from a
blackboard) will be considered cheating. When you discuss problems
with each other, you should not discuss the details of any solution.
If you are stuck, talk to me instead.
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