Structural Mechanics

Code: EME00526L

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Mechanical Engineering

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Learning Goals

This Curricular Unit (CU) presents itself as a follow up of the CU of Mechanics of Materials. It is thus envisaged to deepen the understanding of fundamental concepts of Mechanics applied to the analysis and dimensioning of structural components and structures.

Competences to be developed:
1. To understand the phenomenon of fatigue in the behaviour of structures, as well as considering its effect in structural dimensioning.
2. To understand the phenomenon of buckling of slim structural elements under compression, and to dimension those elements.
3. To apply energy methods for the calculus of reactions and displacements on structural elements and indeterminate structures.
4. To understand the classical theory of finite element method.
5. To develop skills on using advanced software for structural analysis using the finite element method.

1. Fatigue.
1.1. Uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions.
1.2. Mean stress. Goodman and Soderberg criteria.
1.3. Stress concentration. Dimensioning of structural elements.

2. Buckling.
2.1. Critical load in columns.
2.2. Load eccentricity. Effect of boundary conditions.

3. Energy methods.
3.1. Deformation energy. Analysis of articulate and reticulate structures.
3.2. Principle of virtual work. The unit displacement theorem.
3.3. Principle of complimentary virtual work. The unit load theorem.

4. Finite element method.
4.1. General concepts.
4.2. 2D elements. Shape functions.
4.3. Beam and plate elements.
4.4. Using specific finite element software.

Teaching Methods

Teaching of this CU will make use of theoretical lectures where students will be exposed to the theoretical concepts and theoretical-practical classes where students will be invited to solve example exercises, in blocks of two hours each. This system shall be used during the first three chapters and beginning of the fourth chapter on introduction of finite element analysis. In the last weeks of the semester focus will shift towards using dedicated software of finite element analysis. A few classes with examples of structural analysis using the software will be delivered and, lastly, students will be requested to complete an assignment on structural analysis, with tutorial support in class.

Assessment

Assessment will include two tests ( 2x 35%) - FR - and one computational assignment (30%) - TC - ato be done in the last weeks of the semester.

Minimum marks on any of the assessment components is 7.0 / 20.0.

In case the student chooses for a continuous assessment, the final mark (NF) is computed according to:
NF = 0.35xFR1 + 0.35xFR2 + 0.30xTC

In case the student chooses for assessment by exam, the final mark (NF) is computed according to:
NF = 0.70xMAX(EG, ER) + 0.30xTC

Thus, it will always be required handing in the computational assignment. Both tests and both global (EG) and final (ER) exams will only contain matter from the first three chapters.

Approval in this CU requires NF>= 9.5 / 20.0.