Civil Engineering – Part 1

 

 “Engineering is the art of modeling materials we do not wholly understand, into shapes we cannot precisely analyse so as to withstand forces we cannot properly assess, in such a way that the public has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance.” 

–Dr. A. R. Dykes, British Institution of Structural Engineers, 1976

 

Date

Topics

Assignments

M 1/27

Distinguish structures from mechanisms

Distinguish mass, frame (plane and space), and shell structures;  find examples of each

Notes on Structures

Refresher:  metric prefixes, engineering notation

Refresher:  forces as vectors, components & resultants

Notes on Forces

Read Salvadori: Structures

   Glossary Entry  due Wed 8PM

   Question Bank Entry due Wed 8PM

CE-1: Vectors + Ckpt CE-1 due tomorrow start of class

T 1/28

Use basic formulas in Excel

Lab: Excel Basics

CE-2: Forces + Ckpt CE-2

W 1/29 A

Th 1/30 F

Review Forces

Use the Method of Joints to analyze forces on pinned structures

Notes on MoJ

Gordon: Structures reading

CE-3: MoJ + Ckpt CE-3

Th 1/30 A

F 1/31 F

Work day

Finish Excel Lab

Use Method of Joints in Excel

Lab CE-3: MoJ on Excel

L1 Lab CE-3

 

F 1/31 A

M 2/3 F

Work day

Salvadori - Loads reading

M 2/3 A

T 2/4 F

Review Structures readings

Practice Estimating

 

M 2/3 A

T 2/4 F

Review Structures readings

Introduce Bridge IFB ; see also Bridge drawings

Project Summary

Practice Estimating

Model Bridge Bid

T 2/4 A

Review CE-3 MoJ

Describe tensile strength of materials

Contrast compression and buckling failures on struts

Compute lever arm forces for structural testing

Review Structural testing form

Notes on Materials Strength

Work on bridge bids

W 2/5

Snow Day

Salvadori: Beams & Columns

Th 2/6 A

Bidder’s conference

Work on bridge bids

Th 2/6 F

Review CE-3 MoJ

Describe tensile strength of materials

Contrast compression and buckling failures on struts

Compute lever arm forces for structural testing

Review Structural testing form

Notes on Materials Strength

Work on bridge bids

 

F 2/7

Bidder’s conference (F)

Review Loads reading

Use MoJ on Pratt Truss

Method of Joints for Pratt Truss

Work on bridge bids

CE-4: Pratt Truss Analysis

 

M 2/10 A

T 2/11 F

Compute lever arm / moment forces for asymmetric bridge loading

Notes on asymmetric loading

Work on CE-4

Salvadori: Materials

L1 CE-4: Asymmetric Analysis

 

T 2/11 A

W 2/12 F

Finish CE-4

 

W 2/12 A

M 2/24 F

Compute load capacity

Apply safety factors

 

Th 2/13

Review CE-4

Review Salvadori Materials

Review for Quiz

 

F 2/14

Quiz on Structures, Loads & Method of Joints

 

 

Enjoy your break!!

 

M 2/24 –

M 3/3

Work on Model Bridge!

Progress Report due Friday 2/27 3PM (thru Thursday)

Second chance: Salvadori: Materials Question Bank

Gordon: Stress & Strain  (due Wed 3/5)

T 3/4

Bridge Testing!

Final Progress report due 3PM

 

W 3/5

Finish testing (A)

Review PPR, safety factors

Work on PPRs

Gordon Shear & Torsion

Th 3/6 F

Work on PPRs

In lieu of snow day

 

 

More Resources for this Unit…

 

Tacoma Narrows collapse video

Tacoma Narrows – the latest explanation

Citicorp Center crisis – focused on the engineer who designed it

Super Tall Buildings  - the latest on mile-high buildings, wind loads, concrete vs. steel, and more; from Popular Science