Notes From Class

Week 1: August 31 and September 2, 2011.

• Click here to download a copy of the course syllabus.

Week 2: September 7 and 9, 2011

• Slides for lectures 2 and 3: Overview of Structural Analysis and Design .
  Please download and add to your class notes.
• Reading: Proposal to Rebuild the Christchurch Cathedral out of Carboard .
• Homework 1
  For this assignment, students may work in groups of two.

  Write a four-page white paper entitled:

  Opportunities for Cardboard in Structural Engineering

  Issues that your white paper might address include:

  • For what kinds of applications does cardboard as a structural engineering material make sense?
  • How do architects envision cardboard being used?
  • What is known about the material properties (e.g., stiffness, strength) of cardboard?
  • How can cardboard be treated to make it waterproof and fireproof?
  • What kinds of structural systems can be assembled from cardboard?

  I suggest that you conduct your research via Google and Google Scholar (e.g., cardboard structure).

  To the extent possible, illustrate your points with real-world case studies/applications and backup your discussion with illustrations/images.

  Your white paper should be well written and include a list of at least five references.

  Due date: September 16 (next Friday).

Week 4: September 19, 21 and 23, 2011

• Handout: Types of Trusses
• Also see the Wikipedia writeup on trusses for examples of their application to buildings, bridges and space frames.
• Handout: Analysis of Statically Determinate Trusses
  Note: These slides match the material presented in Chapter 3 of our text by Hibbeler.

Week 5: September 26, 28 and 30, 2011

• Homework 2
  For this assignment, students should hand in individual work.
  
  
  
  • Compute Reactions
    Solve problems 2.21 and 2.22 (pg. 72 of the class text).
  • Compute Member Forces
    Solve problems 3.5, 3.6, 3.8 and 3.9 (pg. 101 of the class text).

  Due date: Monday, October 3.

• Friday's class. In class today, we worked through an example for computing the distribution of shear force and beading moment on a beam.

  We also decided that from this point on, all assignments will be due on Monday.
  The TA will hold office hours on Friday afternoons, 1-3 pm, EGL, Rm 0147M.

Week 6: October 3, 5 and 7, 2011

• Homework 3
  This assignment will give you practice at computing bending moment and shear force functions.
  Students should hand in individual work.
  
  
  
  • Fundamental Problems
    Solve problems F4-7, F4-9 and F4-10 on page 145 of the class text.
  • Regular Problems
    Solve problems 4-12 and 4-15 on page 148 of the class text.

  Due date: Monday, October 10.

Week 7: October 10, 12 and 14, 2011

• Solutions to homework 2 and homework 3 are now available.
• Friday, October 14. Here are the class notes from today's lecture.
• Homework 4 is available.
  You may work in teams of two.
  Due date: October 26.

  Here are a few pics:

  • A few technical specs:
    

    More information is available on the web sites provided in the homework.

  • View of Tower C (on Whistler Mtn)
    

  • View of Tower B (on Blackcomb Mtn)
    

  • View of the cable mechanism
    

    The two exterior cables carry the weight of the gondolas. The interior cable pulls the gondolas along.

  • The grey gondola's have a glass bottom
    

  • And, of course, kids lie on the glass bottom
    

Week 8: October 17, 19 and 21, 2011

• Midterm 1. Wednesday, October 19.
  Open book and open notes, no computers.
• Friday, October 21.
  Here are the class notes on Principles of Superposition.

Week 10: October 31, November 2 and 4, 2011

• Wikipedia entry for Macaulay's Method .

Week 11: November 7, 9 and 11, 2011

• Homework 5
  For this assignment, students should hand in individual work.
  
  
  
  • Influence Lines
    Solve problems 6-1, 6-2, 6-5, 6-6 (pg. 225 of Hibbeler) adn 6-63 (pg. 255 of Hibbeler).
  • Beam Deflections via Double Integration
    Solve problems F8-6 and F8-8.
  • Moment-Area Method
    Solve problems 8-10 and 8-12.

  Due date: November 21.

Week 12: November 14, 16 and 18, 2011

• Solutions to homework 4 are now available.

Week 13: November 21 and 23, 2011

• Midterm 2. Monday, November 21.
  The exam will be open book and open notes.
  Three questions covering influence lines, cable structures, and moment-area method.
• No class on Wednesday -- spend the day travelling to friends and family.

Week 14: November 28 and 30. December 2, 2011

• Homework 6
  For this assignment, students should hand in individual work.
  

  • Principle of Virtual Forces
    Solve problems 9-1, 9-7, 9-13, and 9-21.

  Due date: December 9.

Week 16: December 12, 2011

• The TA will cover examples in class.

Final Exam

December 19, 8 am - 10 am, in our regular classroom.
Attempt four out of five questions.
Open book and open notes. No computers.

Last Modified: December 13, 2011,
Copyright © 2011, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland.