Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives This subject is designed to develop skills and fundamental understanding relating to the effect of external loads on statically determinate systems.
Synopsis Statics: definition of force and moment; vector addition, resultants, units. Equilibrium: concurrent planar forces, reactions, free body diagrams. Determinate structures: load and support notation, reactions using equations for equilibrium. Trusses: requirements for structural sufficiency, method of joints and sections. One-dimensional stress: definition of stress and strain, elastic modulus, elongation, Poisson's ratio effects with one-dimensional stress fields. Force diagrams: equilibrium with external loads, bending moment, shear force and axial load at a point, bending moment, shear force and axial load diagrams. Beam stress: stresses due to bending in symmetric sections, neutral axes, centroid, first and second moment of area, section modulus, extreme fibre stress.
Assessment Examination (3 hours): 70% + Laboratory work, class tests and problem solving: 30%