Conference Session

Fulfilling the CE BOK2 - Case Studies

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth McManis, University of Louisiana

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

degree.The BOK2 Outcomes Rubric, using Bloom’s Taxonomy, is graphically presented in Figure 1.The reader is cautioned that this is a simple graphical representation of the full rubric only andshould refer to the full rubric as presented in Appendix I of the BOK2 report2 (which is availableat www.asce.org/raisethebar). What is clearly represented in Figure 1 is the recommended levelof achievement that an individual must demonstrate for each outcome to enter the future practiceof civil engineering at the professional level and, for each outcome, the level of achievement(LOA) expected to be fulfilled through the baccalaureate degree (B), the master’s degree orequivalent post-baccalaureate formal education (M/30), and pre-licensure experience (E

Conference Session

Integration of the Humanities and Social Sciences into Civil Engineering

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sean St.Clair, Oregon Institute of Technology; Charles E. Riley, Oregon Institute of Technology; David K. Thaemert P.E., Oregon Institute of Technology; Roger Lindgren, P.E., Oregon Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

your individual input, your group’s overall presentation, Page 22.1632.11 and your scores on the quizzes.Figure A-1. Professional Skills Assignment Name: _________________________________ 1. The “big three” items that must be managed in any project (as identified by the interviewees) are: 1. ________________________ 2. ________________________ 3. ________________________ 2. Management concepts can be applied to both projects and personnel. Which of the following is shared between these two applications? (a). Equipment tracking (b). Communication (c). Life cycle costing (d). Materials specification 3

Conference Session

Best in 5 Minutes: Demonstrating Interactive Teaching Activities

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Timothy Aaron Wood, The Citadel

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Figure 1.a. (a) (b) Figure 1. Toy balance bird (a) with a reaction force in line with the center of gravity below the beak, (b) fixed connection on the wing.The resultant force (𝐹𝑅 ) is the summation of the weight (𝑊) of all the parts, or the integration ofthe weight across the whole body. Equation 1 illustrates this calculation if gravity points in thenegative z-direction. 𝐹𝑅 = −W 𝑘̂ = ∑ −𝑊𝑖  𝑘̂ = − ∫ 𝑑𝑊  𝑘̂ ⃑⃑⃑⃑ (1)The resultant moment (𝑀𝑅 ) about the origin requires the cross product

Conference Session

Educational Issues in Civil Engineering

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ahmet Zeytinci, University of the District of Columbia; Philip Brach, University of the District of Columbia

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

14.323.5 Table 3Here the following formula was used to find the maximum deflection at the free end of thecantilever beam: w L4 M L2 φ max ? − 8E I 2E ISample Problem 2 (with Answers): P1 w P2 P3 A I1 B I2 C a b c d eA continuous beam is given as shown. Using the Three-Moment Equation, determine:(a) the bending moment at support B.(b) the support reaction at

Conference Session

Aspirational Visions of Civil Engineering in 2025 & Policy 465

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey Evans, Bucknell University; Daniel Lynch, Dartmouth College; David Lange, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

Criterion 3(a-k) outcomes4 and four additional outcomesspecific to civil engineering.4 Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), Engineering Page 12.1461.6Accreditation Commission, Engineering Criteria 2000, Third Edition, BaltimoreMaryland.Table 2 shows the BOK rubric and the six levels of Bloom’s cognitive achievement.5The levels of achievement expected to be accomplished prior to licensure are shown. Forinstance, under “Knowledge”, (B) is indicated. This means that the level of achievementshould be achieved during the baccalaureate program of study. A symbol of (M/30) isindicated and should be achieved during either the master’s degree

Conference Session

Fulfilling the CE BOK2 - Case Studies

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George List, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

.  Considering  specifically  the  BOK2,  a  Page 15.653.2coordinated  list  of  24  outcomes  is  presented  within  three  outcome  categories:    Foundational, 1 Technical  and  Professional.  The  outcomes  define  the  desired  level  of  achievement  defined according  to  Bloom’s  Taxonomy  for  the  cognitive  domain 3,4 .    Additionally,  the  BOK2 recommends outcome achievement targets for each portion of the fulfillment pathway, from the baccalaureate  degree  (B), through post­baccalaureate  formal  education (M/30), to

Conference Session

Implementing the CE BOK into Courses and Curricula

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Angela Bielefeldt, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

students whoindicated various skills in the top five most important for civil engineers compared to thepercentages of engineering seniors from the nationwide APPLES study11. NR = not rankedbecause the item was included in the list of outcome options ranked by the students.Detailed Comments from Senior StudentsFive senior civil engineering students enrolled in the environmental engineering capstone designcourse (3 females, 2 males) mapped their personal course experiences to the BOK2. Students A,B, and C determined which outcomes and levels of achievement were fulfilled by variouscourses and extracurricular activities. Student D mapped all of her courses to the BOK2outcomes, but did not directly incorporate the levels of achievement in her analysis

Conference Session

Course Structuring for Effective Student Engagement

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin Z. Dymond, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Matthew K Swenty P.E., Virginia Military Institute; Chris Carroll, Saint Louis University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

grading style at University A focused on content and method. A scoring rubric wasmade prior to grading each exam question. Extensive partial credit was given for providing thecorrect thought process and writing down the correct steps in solving the problem. Deductionsmade for mistakes were not carried through the problem. Limited points were taken off for minormath errors or units.University B University B is a midsized, public, master's university in a medium density city in theWest North Central Region (Carnegie Classification, M1). The university has sixcolleges/schools, a medical school branch, and a graduate school, which primarily offers M.S.degrees (although Ph.D. degrees can be obtained in some majors or cross-disciplinary programs

Conference Session

Best in 5 Minutes: Demonstrating Interactive Teaching Activities

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Tonya Lynn Nilsson P.E., Santa Clara University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

. After alsocomparing the results for support B, students are asked to write a summary of what they haveobserved about the behavior of the loading as their first exposure to superposition. Figures 3 and4 are reintroduced in a later class when superposition is formally introduced.The final two loadings demonstrate distributed loads and resultants. Figure 5 represents a five-inch-long, uniformly-distributed load of 2 grams per inch spaced evenly beginning at ½ inch frompoint A and ending at 5 ½” from point A. Students must reflect on the possible support reactionsif they summed the reactions for each individual 2-gram load. They must also indicate what thetotal load is on the beam (10 grams) and identify where the center of mass occurs for this

Conference Session

Use of Technology in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nicole Martino, Roger Williams University; Amine Ghanem, Roger Williams University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

in Figure 2. Also, deflection videos of select cases areshown in Figure 3. These representations were used in the classroom to assist the authors inpresenting some of the concept, and at the same time students had access to these files on line(Note: An Adobe Reader is required to run the videos). (a) (b) (c) (d)Figure 1. Simply support interactive image (a) Reactions, (b) Shear diagram development, (c)Moment diagram development, (d) Deflection diagram (which is a video) and location offlexural characteristics (a) (b) (c

Conference Session

Innovative Techniques in Structural Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew W. Roberts, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Angela Marie Jones, University of Wisconsin, Platteville; Michael K. Thompson, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

the ASCEcode on structural loads.In addition to the change in the course sequence, a new grading scheme was adopted for the two Page 24.1393.2structural engineering courses. Grades are not determined based on a typical “points” system.Instead, an outcomes-based grading scheme is used in which students must demonstrate masteryof specified learning outcomes to pass the class.To illustrate how the outcomes are defined and implemented, Table 2 lists the outcomes thatwere covered on the first exam. (The full list of outcomes for the course is given in the syllabus,which is provided as Appendix A.) The letter in the outcome label (“A”, “B”, or “C

Conference Session

Are You Experienced? Approaches and Tools for Experiential Learning

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Alec Colin Derks, Saint Louis University; J Chris Carroll P.E., Saint Louis University, Parks College of Eng.; James H. Hanson P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Matthew D. Lovell P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Kyle Kershaw P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

solution for smaller programs. Fig. 1 (a) and (b)show the system in use. (a) (b)Fig. 1—The Modular Strong-block Testing System setup for (a) a beam test and (b) a frame test. All junior-level civil engineering students at SLU and Rose-Hulman take an introductorystructural analysis course called Structural Analysis and Structural Mechanics I, respectively.The SLU course takes place in the fall semester and includes roughly 24 students each year. Thecourse meets two times per week over the course of fifteen weeks for one hour and 15 minuteseach time. The Structural Analysis course at SLU also includes a separate lab section that meetsone time per week for one hour and 50 minutes

Conference Session

Development Around Diversity

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Rebekah Oulton P.E., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ; Tessa Gail Gallagher, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ; Claire Katherine Anovick, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

was initiated to determine (a) existing levels of knowledge among the students, and(b) efficacy of brief, course-relevant lessons at increasing student awareness of the intersectionbetween course topics and social/environmental justice. To assess awareness across the range ofthe students in the department, surveys were conducted in the Introduction to EnvironmentalEngineering and Introduction to Civil Engineering classes, as well as the EnvironmentalEngineering Senior Capstone class. Students were asked to complete an anonymous surveyassessing knowledge and awareness of social and environmental justice issues before and after asocial/environmental justice lesson was delivered to the class.The following research provided a preliminary step

Conference Session

Project-based and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Matthew D. Lovell P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; J. Chris Carroll, Saint Louis University; Kyle Kershaw P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Alec C. Derks, Saint Louis University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

from occurring. At RHIT, the decisionwas made to use a single 19 ft long beam, identical to the first two modules. However, for thisbeam the stirrups were omitted altogether. Figure 3 (a) shows a schematic of the SLU beam withdesign flaws and Figure 3 (b) shows the schematic of the correctly designed beam. (a) (b) Figure 3—Rebar cage schematics for (a) beam with design flaws and (b) correctly designed beam.Fabrication The formwork for the beam specimens at SLU was constructed from 2x4s and HighDensity Overlay (HDO) plywood in sections no longer than 8 ft for storage purposes. A 2x4 ranalong the top and bottom of each section

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cole C McDaniel, California Polytechnic State University; Graham C. Archer P.Eng, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

) so that the influence of the braces on the dynamic response ofthe structure could be studied, however, these braces were not engaged in this laboratoryexperiment. The concrete piers support the structure at the four corners (see Figure 1d). Keyconcepts such as resonance, damping, modal participation, natural frequencies and mode shapes (a) (b) (c) (d) Figure 1. Bridge House (a) Exterior; (b) Interior; (c) Removable Brace Connection (N/S Page 23.628.3 Direction); (d) Concrete

Conference Session

Developing Infrastructure Professionals

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew W Roberts, Southern Utah University; Carol Haden, Magnolia Consulting, LLC

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

education.To assess how the teaching materials impact student learning, two assessment instruments havebeen developed: 1. A concept map instrument that assesses student understanding of infrastructure and the systems aspects of infrastructure, and 2. An “Infrastructures Views Survey” (IVS) that seeks to determine students’ a. Understanding of the importance of infrastructure to society, b. Appreciation of the infrastructure problems in the US, c. Understanding of the potential solutions to infrastructure problems, and d. Interest in infrastructure challenges and solutions, including the pertinence of in- frastructure management to their future careers.This paper provides background on the

Conference Session

Your Best in 5 Minutes: Demonstrations of Hands-On and Virtual In-Class Teaching Aids

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joel Lanning, University of California, Irvine; Matthew W. Roberts, Southern Utah University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

through F, shown in ​Figure 1b​). But,with the 2018 course and the injection of demos and activities there was a 10% increase responserate in A-grades given by the students in response to “Explanations of concepts were clear”. Thiswas accompanied by a 16% increase in A-grades give by students for the overall rating of thecourse. (b) Professor clearly explained (a) Positive Student Comments (c) Overall course rating concepts   Figure 1​ Possible effect of demonstrations and activities on student course evaluation surveys. Students assign instructors “A” through “F

Conference Session

Proven Strategies in Classroom Engagement Part II: Activities for Creative Pedagogy

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric J. Fitzsimmons, Kansas State University; Stacey E. Tucker-Kulesza, Kansas State University; Xiongya Li, Kansas State University; Whitney Jeter, Fort Hays State University; Jana R. Fallin, Kansas State Univesity Teaching & Learning Center

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

80% 70% 57% 60% 50% 40% 30% 25% 20% 12% 10% 4% 2% 0% A B C D F Final Grade FIGURE 1 Final grade and percentage of all grades by student respondentsFifty seven percent of the students that took the

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Technical Session 9

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Heather Annette Sustersic, Pennsylvania State University; Caroline June Klatman, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

participate in this pilot research study. Twenty-three studentsagreed to participate in the survey and were present on the day of the study.MethodologyStudents received a background lecture in work-energy methods for computing deflections theweek before the study began, and were assigned relevant readings in their course textbook to becompleted before attending the study, similar to a flipped classroom. The study began with abrief presentation of the principle of virtual work for trusses after which students were dividedinto two groups, Group A and Group B. Group assignments were posted prior to studycommencement. Mid-term exam #1 grades were used to ensure equal ability levels were presentin each group. Informed consent, under approval of

Conference Session

Creating and Maintaining Effective Communication Learning in the Curriculum

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregg L. Fiegel, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

) Results Seeker) -15 (17, 19) (8, 19) -20 -25 Less Outgoing (A) Figure 2 - Diagram for Assessing Communication Style6 (with example result)The following example illustrates a communication style assessment for one of the senior designcourse instructors. This individual recorded the following total number of responses for columnsA through D of the style survey: A=19; B=8; C=6; and D=17. As a check, the total number

Conference Session

PBL and Flipped Classrooms in Civil Engineering Education

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laura Doyle, Santa Clara University; Tonya Lynn Nilsson P.E., Santa Clara University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

sections as summarized in Table 1.Professor 1’s existing active-learning curriculum was used as the base curriculum for all fivesections. This curriculum uses interactive lecturing based on the ExCEEd teaching model andincludes group problem solving, physical models and student questioning techniques.9 Twelve ofthe thirty 65-minute class lessons were modified from the existing curriculum to includedflipped, flipped-flipped or hands-on physical activities. Fourteen lessons remained the same andthe remainder of the lessons were review or exams. Sections A, B, D and E included the twelvemodified lessons as summarized in Table 2 while section C used the existing curriculum. Table 1. Identification of term when taught and instructor of each section

Conference Session

Physical Models and Other Interactive Tools

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregory Miller, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

typical truss, what kind of error would you expect in regards to computing axial force values based on using a pinned-joint assumption versus a restrained-end (i.e., rigid connections) assumption? a. Less than 1% b. About 5 % c. About 10% d. About 20% e. About 40% 2. Which of the following factors would you expect have the biggest influence on the difference between pinned versus restrained end axial force values for a truss? a. The span of the truss. b. The materials used to make the truss. c. The joint details. d. The slenderness of the members. e. The shape of the truss. 3. Without doing any calculation, about how many zero-force

Conference Session

Project-based and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Kyle Kershaw P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Ronaldo Luna, Saint Louis University; J. Chris Carroll, Saint Louis University; Matthew D. Lovell P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Alec Colin Derks, Saint Louis University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

engineering lab would be ideal to conduct such tests, the self-contained systemprovides an economical solution for smaller programs. Figure 1 (a) and (b) show the system inuse. (a) (b) Figure 1—Modular Strong-block Testing System setup for (a) a beam test and (b) a frame test. All junior-level civil engineering students at RHIT and SLU take an introductorygeotechnical course called Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, respectively. TheRHIT course takes place in the fall quarter and includes roughly 35 students each year. Thecourse meets 3 times per week over the course of ten weeks for 50 minutes each time. Thecourse at RHIT also includes a separate lab section that meets one

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Technical Session 8

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Greenwood, University of Michigan; Dimitrios Zekkos P.E., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

projects with online class projects isthat student enthusiasm, commitment, and learning will be enhanced by working on projects thatare directly viewed and critiqued by the professional engineering community. Specifically, doesreceiving professional feedback through online projects improve: (a) student motivation andenthusiasm, (b) student commitment, and (c) learning? Similar to conventional projects, web-based projects have two primary components: a written report that is made available online andan oral presentation in the classroom. Web-based projects were implemented in two courses atthe University of Michigan, “Soil and Site Improvement” (CEE542) and “GeoenvironmentalEngineering” (CEE549)8, that were taught in the Winter 2014 and Winter 2013

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zhaoshuo Jiang P.E., San Francisco State University; Alec William Maxwell, San Francisco State University; Zahira H. Merchant, San Francisco State University; Philip Scott Harvey Jr., University of Oklahoma; Nolan Tsuchiya P.E., California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Cheng Chen, San Francisco State University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

according to the targetedstudent outcomes. The following shows the description on the courses where the module isimplemented. For the purposes of maintaining the confidentiality, we will refer to the threeuniversities as A, B, C and the corresponding courses as Course 1, Course 2 and Course 3,respectively.University A (Course 1 – Fall 2017): Course 1 is a junior level required course for allArchitectural Engineering (AE) and Civil Engineering (CE) majors. Unlike undergraduatedynamics courses offered in traditional civil engineering curricula that focus solely on rigid-bodydynamics, Course 1 also covers structural dynamics over the second half of the course. Thelearning module was implemented concurrent with this half of the course, in which

Conference Session

Global Perspective and Experiential Learning in Civil Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John E. Greenleaf P.E., Quinnipiac University; Emils Stires Schnore, Independent construction professional; Patrick M. Strenk P.E., Golder Associates, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

” = Faculty, “PE” = Practicing Engineer, “DCP” = Domestic Construction Professional, “ICP” = Indigenous Construction Professional. “OP” = Other Professional (scientist, geologist, business), “B” = Beneficiaries, “NGO” = Non-governmental organization collaborator. Boldface Type = intense level of involvement likely.This relationship between DCP mentor and student is fostered by the give-and-take betweenthem during the design and implementation phases of a project and can be further enriched byDCP workshops given prior to travel. This workshop and relationship building process has beenutilized by the authors in preparation for several international project implementation trips.Table 3 lists potential workshop topics, many of which focus on

Conference Session

Effective Learning Innovations in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Akhter Hossain, University of South Alabama; Kevin White, University of South Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

build the10 ft. x 10 ft. x 12 ft. chamber. The framework of the chamber was constructed with treatedlumber frames as shown in Fig. 1(a). The chamber was carefully wired for the operation of thelighting, temperature control, humidity control, and auxiliary outlets. After the wiring wascompleted, the chamber was fully insulated as shown in Fig. 1(b). The exterior of the chamberwas finished with fiber cement siding. To finalize the chamber, a 6000 BTU room air conditionerwith digital control was installed in one of the walls to control the temperature within thechamber. In addition, a humidifier and a dehumidifier were installed inside the chamber tocontrol the humidity within the chamber. The completed environmental chamber cost around$1500

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew D. Lovell P.E., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

below. Table 1: Grading Criteria for Structural Design in Reinforced Concrete. For a C in the course, students must:  Have no more than three unexcused absences.  Complete and submit 6/8 homework assignments on time.  Receive a passing grade (>70%) on two exams.  Pass 3/5 quizzes for the quarter.  Complete individually or in a group of no more than 3 the “C-Level” requirements for the term project. For a B in this course, students must:  Have no more than two unexcused absences.  Complete and submit 7/8 homework assignments on time.  Receive a passing grade (>70%) on two exams.  Pass 4/5 quizzes for the quarter.  Complete individually or in a group of no more than 3 the “B-Level

Conference Session

Innovative Assessment Techniques in Civil Engineering Courses

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Michael Dulaski P.E., Northeastern University

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

-semester point, you will be evaluating each team members’ participation (including yourself) from the beginning of the semester to now. You will provide a recommended grade (e.g., A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F) next to each of your name and your colleagues’ names on the spreadsheet posted to Blackboard. You must also provide supporting prose for all responses, including yours on a separate Word document”.The students’ grades are meant to inform the final grade, and are not used as the soleassessment mechanism. At the end of the semester, during the final presentation, theinstructor assigns each group a grade, based on the final presentation, and thedeliverables from the entire semester. After the grades

Conference Session

Tech Tools and Tips

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Mohamad Alipour, University of Virginia; Devin K. Harris, University of Virginia; Mehrdad Shafiei Dizaji, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Zachary Bilmen, University of Virginia; Zijia Zeng, University of Virginia

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering

throughout themember in each one of these cases can be even more difficult. Figure 1. Sample classroom illustration of deformations under (a) bending, (b) torsion, (c) tension, and (d) compressionExperimental laboratory demonstrations are an effective means of providing students with aphysical understanding of engineering theories, but they can be prohibitively expensive andcumbersome [7]. For example, demonstrations involving medium to large structural members instructural mechanics laboratories require sizeable and costly loading machines and reaction framesattached to strong floors, placing smaller engineering programs and their students at a learningdisadvantage. Even when such facilities are available, the