This section contains shortened versions of the textbook with relevant web links and interactive exercises. They are meant to serve as a companion to the course textbook, with links to the course's learning tools and external references relevant to the design, testing, fabrication, and performance, including failure, of structures. This section also provides direct links to all of the interactive exercises referenced within the text.
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Static Equilibrium Force and Moment (
PDF)
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Internal Forces and Moments (
PDF)
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Stress
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Indeterminate Systems
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Strain
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Material Properties and Failure Phenomena
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Stresses/Deflections Shafts in Torsion
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Stresses: Beams in Bending
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Deflections Due to Bending
Interactive Exercises
Vector Addition
The goal of this exercise is to estimate the resultant of the addition of two vectors. You will be awarded points depending on the accuracy of your estimate and the size of the error tolerance you allow. An estimate within a smaller error tolerance awards you more points, but is, of course, harder to do. You win the game when you get at least 100 points.
Sliding Block
Your mission is to find an equilibrium state for a block on an inclined plane. To achieve your goal, you can modify three parameters: the coefficient of friction, the shape of the block and the the angle theta.
Reactions
Random loads on a truss structure are generated by the program, and you are asked to estimate the reactions that would be generated at the supports. This tests your knowledge of the principles of vector addition and the summation of forces around a point. You can choose an error tolerance for your estimates, but keep in mind that you get more points for a correct answer within a lower tolerance. Try and get to 100 points with as few tries as possible.
Beam Moments
The goal of this exercise is to reach an equilibrium position when loading a beam. The program first lets you decide the number of loads to add to a beam and then lets you choose whether or not you want to position the supports. If you do not position the supports, the program will generate random positions for them. Once your beam is set up, you can start to load the beam.
Point Load
The goal of the exercise is to show the effect on the shear force and bending moment distribution of "smoothing" out the distribution of a load acting at a point on the beam.
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