Mechanics

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Predict motion of rigid bodies
• Formulate stability criteria and explore mechanical instabilities
• Indentify failure criteria for mechanical systems
• Calculate beams deflection and twisting of shafts
• Analyse simple mechanical systems
• Apply superposition principle for analysis of combined loading
• Calculate stresses and strains in mechanical systems
• Derive particle and vehicle trajectory equations

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Energy methods
• Mechanical properties of matter
• Energy and momentum conservation
• Applications of superposition principle
• Statically determinate and indeterminate systems
• Basic concepts and principles in mechanics of solids
• Buckling and stability of columns
• Dynamics of particles and vehicles; rotation of a rigid body
• Relations between stress, strain and deformation
• Basics of beam design and structural analysis

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Explain the design principles for simple mechanical devices
• Apply mathematical methods and vector algebra to mechanical problems
• Demonstrate theory of mechanics applied to simple practical situations
• Explain the meaning and consequences of mechanics

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Operate simple instrumentation equipment
• Work in a small team to conduct an experiment

Introduction

• Basic Concepts
• Fundamental Laws
• Units
• Scalar & Vector

Particle Dynamics

• Newton's Laws of Motion
• Particle motion for constant and variable force
• Energy and Momentum
• Work done by Force
• Kinetic and Potential Energy
• Energy and Momentum Conservation
• Friction
• Linear Momentum
• Collisions between particles

Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

• Rotation of rigid body about a fixed axis
• Angular Momentum
• Conservation of Angular Momentum
• Moments of inertia
• Inertia Matrix

Mechanics of Engineering structures

• Statics, structural and solid body component
• Stress, strain and deformation, elastic and plastic deformation
• Tension, compression and torsion
• Determinate and indeterminate systems

Theory of Torsion

• Solid and thin-walled cylinder, torque, shear stress and angle of twist

Two Dimensional Analysis of Stress

• Stresses on a plane inclined to the direction of loading; normal and shear stresses
• An element subjected to a general two dimensional stress system
• Mohr's stress circle, principal stresses and planes, maximum shear stress

Shearing Force, Bending Moment and Torque Diagrams

• Sear force and bending moment diagrams; torsion of members
• Relations between torque, shear stress & strain, angle of twist
• Principle of superposition

Bending of Beams

• Shear forces, bending moment distributions and deformation
• Stress-strain relationship in pure bending
• Section modulus and flexural rigidity, properties of areas
• Deflection of beams due to bending moments, effects of support conditions, double-integration method and Macaulay's notations
• Beams made of dissimilar material
• Eccentric loading and Asymmetrical bending
• Statically Indeterminate Beams

Strain Energy

• Elastic strain energy, normal stress and shear, strain energy in bending
• Buckling Buckling instability, effects of support conditions.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Hibbeler RC (2008). Mechanics of Materials. London: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Meriam JL, Kraige LG (2007). Engineering mechanics, Vol. 2, Dynamics. Wiley.

Benham PP, Crawford RJ, Armstrong CG (1996). Mechanics of Engineering Materials. Harlow: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Bedford A, Fowler WL (2001). Engineering mechanics: dynamics. Prentice Hall.

Beer FP, Johnston ER (1977). Vector mechanics for engineers: statics and dynamics. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Assessment strategy

Final examination on stress-strain relations, Hook's law and beam theory (75%), 2 assignments on conservation laws (15%) plus 2 technical labs (10%) to consider Stress, Strain and Structural Beam Theory, addressing the above-listed learning outcomes. The labs are conducted under the umbrella of ELEC1029 but the marks contribute towards this module.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External