2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Structural Mechanics I
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroshi Matsuzaki
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CVE.A202
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on the analysis of statically determinate structures with truss, beam, frame and arch members, for which member forces can be determined just by use of equilibrium equations. Then energy principles including the principle of virtual work and the theory of minimum potential energy are explained and applied to the deformation analysis of statically determinate structures in a practical manner. Furthermore, the reciprocal theorem and influence lines are also explained.
In the course of Mechanics of Materials and Members (CVE.A201), it is shown that the deformation of structures is described in the form of differential equations. In the direct approach based on differential equations, however, the analysis is too complicated for real complex structures. Therefore, this course introduces another method based on energy principle, which provides the solutions for displacement of structures with relative ease. The contents of this course for statically determinate structures will be fundamental for the analysis of indeterminate structures, which will be taught in the following courses of Structural Mechanics II (CVE.A301).
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Determine member forces of various statically determinate structures by use of equilibrium equations.
2. Explain energy principles including the theory of minimum potential energy and the principle of virtual work.
3. Determine member force and displacement of statically determinate structures by means of energy principles.
Keywords
truss, beam, frame structures, arch, statically determinate structure, energy, work, theorem of minimum potential energy, principle of virtual work, reciprocal theorem, influence line
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course will be mainly provided in a lecture style. However, students may not obtain enough knowledge and skills on relevant subjects only from lectures. Hence assignments will be given in each class, and answers will be explained for review in the next class.
Course schedule/Objectives
Course schedule | Objectives | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Fundamental equations for mechanics of structural members and member forces of statically determinate structures (trusses) | Explain fundamental equations for structural members such as bars and beams and determine member forces of statically determinate truss structures by use of equilibrium equations. |
Class 2 | Member forces of statically determinate structures (beams, frames and arches) | Determine member forces of statically determinate beam, frame and arch structures by use of equilibrium equations. |
Class 3 | Principle of virtual work | Explain principle of virtual work. |
Class 4 | Application of principle of virtual work | Determine member forces and displacements of various statically determinate structures. |
Class 5 | Reciprocal theorem and influence lines | Draw influence lines using reciprocal theorem. Explain the role of influence lines. |
Class 6 | Energy, work and theorem of minimum potential energy | Explain energy, work and theorem of minimum potential energy. |
Class 7 | Application of theorem of minimum potential energy | Determine displacements of various statically determinate structures by means of theorem of minimum potential energy. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to references and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Materials will be given by the instructor in every class.
Fundamentals of Structural Analysis, 2nd Edition: Harry H. West and Louis F. Geshwindner, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2002, ISBN: 978-0471355564
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assignment 20%, Examination 80%
Related courses
- CVE.A201 : Mechanics of Materials and Members
- CVE.A301 : Structural Mechanics II
Prerequisites
Students must have successfully completed Mechanics of Materials and Members (CVE.A201) or have equivalent knowledge.