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Course Information

Course description (from ISU course catalog, 2023-2024)

(3-0), Cr. 3. Plane stress, plane strain, stress-strain relationships, and elements of material behavior. Application of stress and deformation analysis to members subject to centric, torsional, flexural, and combined loadings. Elementary considerations of theories of failure, buckling.

Course prerequisites and competencies

Engineering Statics (C E 274)

Before enrollment in E M 324, a student is expected to have mastered the abilities to:

• Perform vector analysis of forces and moments to determine:
  • components of a force or moment.
  • resultant force or moment.
  • moment of a force about a point and about a line.
  • equivalent force-couple systems.
• Sketch complete and correct free-body diagrams of structural members in static equilibrium.
• Analyze free-body diagrams of structural members in static equilibrium to determine:
  • reactions at supports.
  • reactions at connections.
  • internal forces and moments.
• Draw a diagram that represents the internal torque in a shaft.
• Draw diagrams that represent the internal axial force, internal shear force, and internal bending moment in a beam.
• Write equations that represent the internal shear force and internal bending moment as functions of position along a beam.
• Locate the centroid and compute area moments of inertia (second moments of area) of the cross-section of a structural member.

Course format

This is an in-person course with a collaborative learning classroom environment. Students will:

• download Introduction to Mechanics of Materials, 2^nd Edition by Madhukar Vable for problem-solving practice in class and outside of class.
• practice problem-solving strategies and solidify conceptual knowledge of engineering mechanics principles during class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• work independently or in groups to complete In-Class Learning Activities in Canvas on Wednesdays.
• work independently or in groups outside of class to complete weekly homework assignments; enter answers independently in Canvas.
• work independently to solve 3 mid-term Exams on the Wednesday evenings listed in the Course Calendar and also here: Fall Night Exams | The Office of the Registrar | Iowa State University (iastate.edu)
• work independently to complete the Final Exam. The date and time of the Final Exam will be announced November 1 in the Special/Combined Group Final Exams schedule (scroll down to Special/Combined Final Exams). 
  

Course materials

Required materials: Free download: Introduction to Mechanics of Materials, 2^nd Edition by Madhukar Vable

Optional materials: any equivalent mechanics of materials textbook (for example, Beer, Gere, Johnston, Philpot, Riley, Sturges, Timoshenko, and Zachary are excellent authors and experts in the field of engineering mechanics).

Instructor Information

Instructor: Jenny Johannsen (please call me Jenny)

Email: jennyjo@iastate.edu

Phone: 515-294-3272

Office location: 2316 Howe Hall

Student hours: Please refer to the most recent Weekly Announcement.

TA information: Kimberly Wang, ljwang@iastate.edu

General announcements will be posted via Canvas announcements. Properly configure your Notification Settings in Canvas to receive notifications.

Course Goals

Enduring understanding

The purpose of this course is to develop the thought process and discipline of students to enable them to solve structural loading and deformation problems systematically, confidently, and competently, regardless of difficulty. Students will:

• understand how the deformation (stretching, twisting, and bending) of structural members is related to the forces and moments in the members.
• understand that the forces and moments in structural members are generated by normal and shear stresses distributed throughout the members.
• distinguish between normal stress and shear stress.
• report mechanical properties, section properties, stresses, strains, and deformations with appropriate U.S. customary units and SI units.

Emphasis

This course is intended to familiarize students with concepts of mechanical properties, stress, strain, deformation, design criteria, and failure theories as a basis for continued work in structural analysis and machine design.

Course Objectives

• Define each of the following mechanical properties: elastic modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, yield strength, ultimate strength, and coefficient of thermal expansion; describe how each property characterizes the material response of a linear elastic, homogeneous, isotropic material.
• Compute section properties (area, first moment of area, second moment of area, polar moment of area, and radius of gyration) and apply them in the analysis of the stress, deformation, and stability of beams, shafts, and columns.
• Analyze statically determinate and statically indeterminate systems to calculate and illustrate the normal stresses, shear stresses, normal strains, shear strains, and deformation of standard idealized elements shafts, beams, columns, and thin-walled pressure vessels due to axial loads, torsion loads, transverse loads, pressure, and/or changes in temperature.
• Calculate and illustrate the magnitudes and orientations of the principal stresses and maximum shear stresses at a given point within a structural member.
• Calculate and illustrate the normal stresses and shear stresses at a given point on a given plane within a structural member.
• Given strain gauge measurements at a point on a structural member, calculate and illustrate normal strains and shear strains and normal stresses and shear stresses at that point.
• Calculate and illustrate normal stress concentrations or shear stress concentrations resulting from a discontinuity in section geometry such as a hole, fillet, or groove.
• Assess the basic types of mechanical failure for ductile and brittle materials and buckling of columns; calculate the conditions which would result in yielding, fracture, or elastic instability and the factor of safety relative to such failures.

Educational outcomes

The course’s learning objectives, assessment methods, and instructional techniques are formulated to address ABET Student Outcomes.

Learning Activities

• Solve engineering mechanics problems in a collaborative learning classroom environment.
• Solve additional problems independently until the learning outcomes for the course are mastered. Strengthen conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills by troubleshooting each other’s solutions.
• Ask for clarification when needed:
  • email your question to Jenny or our teaching assistant Kimberly, or
  • request an in-person meeting (email Jenny and include a list of times when you are available to meet)

Schedule of Topics and Assessments

Course Policies

Feedback

Exam scores will be posted in the Grades section of our Canvas course.

Missed and late coursework

It is important to keep up with the pace of this course. Late work will not be accepted except with documentation of extenuating circumstances.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory.

Incomplete grades

A grade of I (Incomplete) may be offered in extenuating circumstances and must be arranged with the instructor.

Expectations

Students are encouraged to use electronic devices to the extent that they supplement (not distract from) their learning.

Refer to ISU’s Thielen Student Health Center’s webpage regarding illness and ISU's Class Excuse Policy. If illness prevents you from being able to take an Exam, contact me as soon as you are able; include a copy of your class schedule from Access+ so that we can arrange a time and date for a make-up exam.

Student obligations:

• Meet prerequisites or disenroll from the course.
• To every class, bring a scientific/graphing calculator, paper (unlined paper or engineering paper preferred) and something to write with or laptop/tablet and stylus, and a positive attitude.
• Participate in class.
• Complete In-Class Learning Activities independently or in groups.
• Complete Exams independently, according to our course policies.
• Adhere to the Iowa State University Code of Conduct.
• Ask for clarification when needed.

Instructor and teaching assistant obligations:

• Facilitate in-class learning activities.
• Post resources to Canvas.
• Post Exam scores to Canvas in a timely manner (it generally takes about a week to return scored exams).
• Respond to questions and feedback (in-person or via email or Canvas Discussions) promptly.

Inclusiveness:

• Students are responsible for living the tenets established in ISU’s Principles of Community: Respect, Purpose, Cooperation, Richness of Diversity, Freedom from discrimination, and the Honest and respectful expression of ideas. Visit ISU’s Principles of Community website.
• I honor each student by using their preferred name and pronoun, so if these differ from the ones on the class roster, please advise me accordingly early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.
• Iowa State University is committed to proactively facilitating each student’s well-being. We welcome and encourage students to contact the following on-campus services for their physical, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, environmental, financial, social, and/or emotional needs:
  • Student Wellness call 515-294-1099 or via website (http://studentwellness.iastate.edu);
  • Thielen Student Health Center call 515-294-5801 (24/7 Medical Advice) or via website (http://www.cyclonehealth.org);
  • Student Counseling Services call 515-294-5056 or via website (https://counseling.iastate.edu);
  • Recreation Services call 515-294-4980 or via website (http://recservices.iastate.edu);
  • Students dealing with heightened feelings of sadness or hopelessness, thoughts of harm or suicide, or increased anxiety may contact the ISU Crisis Text Line (Text ISU to 741-741) or contact ISU Police Department at 515-294-4428.
• To learn effectively, you must have basic security: a roof over your head along with a reliable place to sleep and enough food to eat (view the Food Security at ISU Student Wellness webpage). If you’re having trouble with any of those things, please talk with me or the Dean of Students Office (email studentassistance@iastate.edu, phone 515-294-1020). Together we can work to meet those needs.
• Iowa State University is committed to creating an educational, work, living, and campus environment that is free from all forms of sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and unlawful discrimination and harassment based on protected class. As a responsible employee, I am responsible for reporting all incidents of prohibited sexual harassment, including sexual assault, stalking, and dating and domestic violence, to the university’s Title IX coordinator. Students can choose to discuss their experiences confidentially with the following resources: ACCESS (Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support) at 515-292-0500; ISU Student Counseling Services at 515-294-5056; and Thielen Student Health Center at 515-294-5801.
• A green dot is any choice, behavior, word, or attitude that promotes everyone’s safety and communicates utter intolerance for power-based personal violence in our Iowa State University community. A green dot is anything you do to make our community safer. What is your Green Dot? Visit the Green Dot – Student Wellness website (http://www.studentwellness.iastate.edu/greendot/).
• You are expected to treat your instructor and all other participants in the course with courtesy and respect. Your comments to others should be factual, constructive, and free from harassing statements. You are encouraged to disagree with other students, but such disagreements need to be based on facts and documentation (rather than prejudices and personalities). It is the instructor’s goal to promote an atmosphere of mutual respect in the classroom. Please contact the instructor if you have suggestions for improving the classroom environment. It is preferable if students discuss issues directly with the instructor, however, students may also leave a note in the instructor’s mailbox.
• All university publications and communication, whether oral or written, shall use inclusive language and illustrations. Inclusive language refers to language that makes every attempt to include comprehensively all groups in the community. Whenever possible, the selection of academic materials will also reflect efforts to uphold this university policy. Visit the Policy Library’s Inclusive Language website.
• I am committed to creating a course that is inclusive in its design. If you encounter barriers, please let me know immediately so that we can determine if there is a design adjustment that can be made or if an accommodation might be needed to overcome the limitations of the design. I am always happy to consider creative solutions as long as they do not compromise the intent of the assessment or learning activity. You may wish to contact the Student Accessibility Services (515-294-7220) to begin this conversation or to establish accommodations for this or other courses. I welcome feedback that will assist me in improving the usability and experience for all students.