COURSE DETAILS

Units of Credit 6
Contact hours 5 hours per week
Lectures Monday 12.00-14.00 CLB 7
Thursday 9.00-10.00 CLB 7
Tutorials Thursday 10.00-12.00

Lectures: weeks 1-12
Tutorials: weeks 2-13
_____________________________________________________________________________

Course Coordinator: Dr. Wei Gao (Weeks 1- 8)
email: [email protected]
Rm. 608 Civil and Environmental Engineering Building (H20)
Phone: 9385 4123

Lecturer: Dr. David Kellermann (Weeks 9-12)
email: [email protected]
Rm. 508 Civil and Environmental Engineering Building (H20)
Phone: 9385 5037

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE
Course Overview
The aim is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts and principles applied by
engineers - whether civil, mechanical, aeronautical, etc. - in the design of structures of
all sorts of sizes and purpose. We build upon the mathematics and physics courses,
extending Newtonian Mechanics to understand what happens to a body when force(s)
is/are applied to it. Statics is a branch of mechanics that deals with the study of objects,
structures, fluids in equilibrium. Dynamics is a branch of mechanics that deals with the
study of bodies in motion.
This course will also provide you with opportunities to develop the following graduate
attributes:

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the capacity for analytical and independent critical thinking;
skills related to lifelong learning, such as self-reflection (ability to apply theory to
practice in familiar and unfamiliar situations); and
collaborative and teamwork skills.
How does this course relate to other course offerings in the discipline?
This course will continue with and will build on the concepts introduced in
Mathematics and Physics. During this course you will be supported in developing the
core skills, qualities and understandings needed for more advanced courses in your
program, such as Mechanics of Solids, Structural Analysis and Design, Geotechnical
Engineering, Civil Engineering Practice and Special Topics in Concrete, Steel and
Composite Structures subjects, and associated with your role as a future
Civil/Environmental Engineer.
Handbook description
An introductory subject in engineering mechanics dealing with Statics (the equilibrium
of objects, structures and fluids) and Dynamics (the mechanics of bodies in motion).
Topics include: (i) Statics - 2-D concurrent and non-concurrent force systems; resultant
of forces; equilibrium of forces; friction; distributed forces; centre of gravity; centroids;
internal actions; analysis of beams (shear force and bending moment diagrams);
analysis of frames (determinancy, internal hinges); analysis of trusses (methods of joints
and sections); cables; fluid statics including hydrostatic pressure, body forces,
buoyancy, stability, and manometry; introduction to three dimensional statics. (ii)
Dynamics - Laws governing continuity, energy and momentum; dynamics of particles;
planar motion of rigid bodies; simple spring mass systems responding to forces of
simple form. (iii) The concepts of stress and strain; principal stresses and an
introduction to Mohr's circle of stress.
The objectives of the course
build on your knowledge in Mathematics and Physics to encompass the
fundamental concepts of Statics and Dynamics
introduce you to thinking processes for practical Engineering Problems
give you opportunities to develop and reflect on graduate attributes such as
collaborative skills, communication skills, and lifelong learning skills

TEACHING STRATEGIES

The teaching strategies that will be used include:
Lectures that will provide a broad overview and introduction to engineering
mechanics. Lectures will also emphasise the relationship of the content to the
engineering practice and will provide an opportunity for reflection on learning.
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Tutorial classes will concentrate on strategies for solving practical problems.
You will be working in small groups to solve problems.
Moodle (moodle.telt.unsw.edu.au) resources such as lecture material, tutorial
questions and solutions, discussions, links to other sites, etc.

SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING IN THE COURSE

Weekly reading and recording of your learning. Before the lecture, look at the
allocated reading for that Week.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to come to the class prepared. Lecture
material and tutorial exercises will only be understood if you have completed
your readings prior to attending the class.
After the lecture review your lecture notes and textbook. Do set problems. It
is most important to do the set problems as you go. Without them you wont
know whether your listening and reading have borne fruit. Doing problems
is often where it all comes together.
Prepare for tutorial activities. Remember, YOU CANNOT LET YOUR TEAM
DOWN! Reflect on class problems, tutorial exercises, quizzes and assignments.
What I hear, I forget; What I see, I remember; What I do, I UNDERSTAND - T. A.
Angelo
Plan your time to achieve all assessment requirements (see assessment).
We encourage you to work with your peers whenever possible. A good way
to learn the material is in small study groups. Such groups work best if
members have attempted the problems individually before meeting as a
group. A valued and honest collaboration occurs when, for example, you get
stuck early on in attacking an exercise and go to your classmate with a
relevant question. Your classmate then has the opportunity to learn from
your question as well as help you. You then bring something to the
collaboration.
Students who perform poorly in tutorial exercises and quizzes are strongly
encouraged to discuss their progress with the lecturers during the semester.
Please do not suffer in silence seek the help at an early stage! We would like
you to make most of this learning process and receive a high grade in the
course.
Process is as important as product; means as important as ends.
Regular participation in tutorials is mandatory. Some bonus marks towards
the final mark will also be allocated based on your class participation.
Be guided by course notes and tutors. Ask questions.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment will be based on one assignment, three quizzes and a final exam. The
purpose of Assignment and Quizzes will provide you with a clear study framework
and the opportunity to develop self-learning and problem solving skills. Final Exam
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Quiz 1 (Statics) 10%
Assignment (Statics) 10%
Quiz 2 (Statics) 10%
Quiz 3 (Dynamics) 10%
Final Exam (Statics) 35%
Final Exam (Dynamics) 25%
Total 100%
will take place in the UNSW examination week. A mark of at least 40% in the final
examination is required before the marks for the three quizzes and one hand-in
tutorial are included in the final mark. The formal exam scripts will not be returned.

The Final Mark for this Course will be contributed by:
Statics (65%) + Dynamics (35%) = Total (100%)

The relative value of each of the assessable tasks is as follows:











There are no exemptions from any part of this assessment. If you are repeating the
subject you must complete all components this year.

Note: All quizzes and the final exam will be held under closed book conditions. The
course coordinator reserves the right to adjust the final scores by scaling if agreed to by
the Head of School.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing this course, you will:

be able to demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts of Statics and
Dynamics
become proficient in developing Free Body Diagrams, Equations of Equilibrium
and Internal Actions Diagrams
become proficient in calculation layout and development
become proficient in using Statics and Dynamic to solve practical problems
come to see the world through engineers eyes
be able to interpret and understand the requirements of a engineering problem
and identify the potential problems presented by the objectives of the brief
have the ability to use computers to solve engineering problems
have the ability to communicate your problem solution in written form
demonstrate collaborative skills by working with other students in TEAMS

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CONSULTATION

We would like you to learn the material, gain the required skills and make a high grade
in this Course. Please do not suffer in silence; questions are welcome in class and
during the Consultation times. Ask your class mates, ask your tutor and ask me. Also,
your comments/suggestions/criticisms, expressed either to your lecturer or tutors, are
most welcome!

COURSE PROGRAMME

Week Topic Reading Assessment
1 Introduction; Vectors;
Concurrent and non-concurrent forces.
Chapters
1 & 2

2 Forces; Moments and Couples; Equilibrium.

Chapters
3 & 4

3 Types of Supports; Free Body Diagrams. Chapter 5
4 Internal Actions; Axial Force Diagram;
Shear Force Diagram; Bending Moment
Diagram.
Chapter 10
5 Pin-jointed trusses; Method of Joints;
Method of Sections.
Chapter 6 Quiz 1

6 Friction; 2D Frames; Structures with Internal
Hinges.
Chapter 9
7 Fluid Statics; Geometric properties of plane
figures; Centroid.
Chapters
10 & 7

8 Second Moment of Area; Parallel Axis
Theorem;
Stress and Strain; Hookes Law; Principal
stresses and Mohrs circle of Stress.
Chapter 8 Assignment due
9 Kinematics of particles; Motion in one
dimension; Rectilinear motion.
Chapter 13 Quiz 2

10 Kinetics of particles. Chapter 14
11 Work and energy. Chapter 15
12 Impulse and momentum. Chapter 16 Quiz 3

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TEXTS AND RECOMMENDED READING

Textbooks:
Bedford and Fowler, Engineering Mechanics STATICS + Study Pack, 5
th
Edition,
Prentice Hall, 2008.
Bedford and Fowler, Engineering Mechanics DYNAMICS + Study Pack, 5
th
Edition,
Prentice Hall, 2008.
Moodle - Lecture Notes, Tutorial Exercises, Quiz Problems and Solutions, Assignments,
URLs, Discussions, Email.

DATES TO NOTE

Refer to MyUNSW for Important Dates available at:
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/resources/KeyDates.html

PLAGIARISM

Beware! An assignment that includes plagiarised material will receive a 0% Fail, and
students who plagiarise may fail the course. Students who plagiarise are also liable to
disciplinary action, including exclusion from enrolment.
Plagiarism is the use of another persons work or ideas as if they were your own. When
it is necessary or desirable to use other peoples material you should adequately
acknowledge whose words or ideas they are and where you found them (giving the
complete reference details, including page number(s)). The Learning Centre provides
further information on what constitutes Plagiarism at:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism

ACADEMIC ADVICE

For information about:
Notes on assessments and plagiarism,
School policy on Supplementary exams,
Special Considerations,
Solutions to Problems,
Year Managers and Grievance Officer of Teaching and Learning Committee, and
CEVSOC.
Refer to Academic Advice on the School website available at:
http://www.engineering.unsw.edu.au/civil-engineering/resources/academic-advice