Structural Analysis Education: Learning by Hands-On Projects and Calculating Structures
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 139, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents experiences in a structural analysis course of a civil engineering degree at the Universidad Europea de Madrid (Spain) as an example of educational innovation. The writers have tried to motivate students to learn structural analysis and design by using classical theory, performing calculations by hand, using a computer program, and using a plastic toy for model trusses to measure strain and stresses. These allow a comparison of results between the three methods. At the end of the course there is a rapid bridge-building contest with simple materials to develop the students’ capacity for ingenuity and teamwork, design different structural typologies, and meet aesthetic and resistance criteria. The writers analyzed the experiments, educational benefits, and student learning.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 139 • Issue 3 • July 2013
Pages: 244 - 247
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 15, 2012
Accepted: Feb 12, 2013
Published online: Feb 14, 2013
Published in print: Jul 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Jul 14, 2013
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