MEng Civil Engineering with Industrial Experience / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Structures 2 (Civil)

Course unit fact file
Unit code CIVL20001
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Understanding the principles of structural mechanics covered in this unit is essential for design of structural elements in follow-on units such as Steel and Concrete Structures, Design 3, etc. Through this understanding, the students will also appreciate how rigorous methods of analysis and experimentation can help create more efficient, economic and environmentally sustainable structures.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Structures 1 (Civil) CIVL13001 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

To build on students’ existing knowledge and understanding of the subject of structural and stress analysis of civil engineering structures covering more advanced topics such as analysis of statically indeterminate beams, stability of compression members, torsion of non-circular prismatic members, shear centre of various sectional profiles, and unsymmetrical bending of beams.

Syllabus

1. Energy methods
Application of Strain energy and Virtual work methods to calculate deflections (and rotations) of statically determinate and indeterminate trusses, beams and simple frames.

2. Shear in Beams
Shear stresses in beams induced by shear forces; Shear centre; Concepts of Mohr’s Circle for stresses

3. Structural Stability
Stability of rigid bodies; Elastic and inelastic buckling of columns;

4. Torsion
Torsional stress and stiffness in open and closed thin-walled prismatic members; Membrane analogy for solid non-circular sections;

5. Unsymmetrical Bending
Stresses and deflections of a beam under unsymmetrical bending; Product second moment of area and Principal second moment of area;

6. Laboratory Experiments
Elastic and Inelastic buckling of struts, Southwell Plots;  Torsional stiffness of beams with open and closed sections;

7. Qualitative Analysis
Qualitative analysis of deflection profiles, bending moment and shear force diagrams.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 80%
Report 20%

Feedback methods

General feedback on performance after the exam board by emails and via script viewing.

Report - 2 weeks after submission

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 24
Practical classes & workshops 3
Tutorials 6
Independent study hours
Independent study 67

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Martin Simmons Unit coordinator

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