99632 - Principles of Structural Mechanics

Learning outcomes

To provide the elements of solid mechanics useful in determining the stress and strain status of beams subject to the main stress characteristics: axial stress, bending moment, torsion and shear. To provide the basic knowledge of the mechanical properties of materials, experimental methods and quality control procedures. To make the students able to solve hyperstatic structures and perform structural safety assessment.

Course contents

Requirements/Prior knowledge

A prior knowledge and understanding of Mathematics and Physicsis required to attend the course proficiently.

All lectures will be in English. It is therefore necessary to understand the English language to take advantage of the course and to use the provided teaching material.

Course Content

1. Course introduction
2. Static and kinematic of the rigid body
3. Static and kinematic of a system of rigid bodies
4. Internal action in a beam like solid
5. Theory of statically determined structures
6. Stress and Strain analysis
   
7. Stress-strain relation in elastic materials
   
8. Geometrical properties of mass distribution
9. Problems of the Saint-Venant’s cylinder
10. Theory of statically undetermined structures
11. Force and deformation based methods
12. Strength/failure criteria
    
13. Structural elastic stability

Readings/Bibliography

• Statics – Formulas and Problems, Engineering Mechanics 1. Dietmar Gross; Wolfgang Ehlers; Peter Wriggers; Jörg Schröder; Ralf Müller, 2017, Edition 1, Springer.
• Mechanics of Materials - Engineering Mechanics 2. Dietmar Gross; Werner Hauger; Jörg Schröder; Wolfgang A. Wall; Javier Bonet, 2018, Edition 1, Springer.
• Mechanics of Materials – Formulas and Problems, Engineering Mechanics 2. Dietmar Gross; Wolfgang Ehlers; Peter Wriggers; Jörg Schröder; Ralf Müller, 2017, Edition 1, Springer.

Teaching methods

The course content will be entirely covered by the lectures. The course consists in lectures and on sessions devoted to exercises, which will cover the practical aspects of the lectures. The instructors will supervise students during the laboratory activities.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the "expected learning outcomes" is composed of:

• written exam: 3 exercises on the topics of the course, 3 hour.
• oral exam: 3 questions on the topics of the course, 1 hour.

To obtain a passing grade (minimum is 18 points) students are required to demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subject, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language.

Higher grades (maximum is 30 points, cum laude) will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, and a clear and concise presentation of the contents.

In case of failure students can take any next final term, generally there are 6 final terms per academic year.

Teaching tools

The teaching tools are graphic table, projector and PC.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Marzani

See the website of Antonio Palermo

See the website of Antonio Palermo