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BOARD # 56: Spreadsheets in Civil Engineering: Fostering Proficiency through Practical Applications in Statics

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Conference

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Publication Date

June 22, 2025

Start Date

June 22, 2025

End Date

August 15, 2025

Conference Session

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL) Poster Session

Tagged Division

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL)

Page Count

12

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/55870

Paper Authors

biography

Jalil Kianfar Saint Louis University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-9543-1481

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Dr. Jalil Kianfar is Gene Kranz Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Saint Louis University and a registered professional engineer (P.E.) in the state of Missouri. In addition to his academic experience, Dr. Kianfar has five years of industry experience as a traffic engineer that informs his teaching, research and service. Dr. Kianfar research interests and background includes traffic operations and roadway safety, construction zones and work zone traffic control, and smart cities and connected and autonomous vehicles. Dr. Kianfar work has been supported by Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), among others. Dr. Kianfar also has an interest in engineering education research including blended learning environments, active and collaborative learning, and STEM outreach. Dr. Kianfar is a member of Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Dr. Kianfar is a certified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) and Road Safety Professional (RSP I).

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biography

Sridhar S. Condoor Saint Louis University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-5396-7483

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Professor with a demonstrated history of working in the design innovation and technology entrepreneurship areas. Skilled in Innovation Management, Applied Research & Product Design, Entrepreneurship, and Training Next Generation Innovators and Entrepreneurs.

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biography

Danahe Marmolejo Saint Louis University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0009-0008-5365-9366

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Dr. Danahe Marmolejo, an Assistant Professor in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University’s School of Science and Engineering since 2022, specializes in Thermodynamics and Process Systems Engineering. With a background in Chemical Engineering, she teaches engineering courses, primarily for first—and second-year students. Her current research focuses on improving engineering education and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in learning environments.

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Abstract

Spreadsheets are ubiquitous in civil engineering offices and are an important tool for data management, engineering calculations, visualization, and report generation. Proficiency in working with spreadsheets also improves productivity and streamlines the quality analysis/quality control process. Cultivating proficiency requires students to integrate spreadsheet usage into their daily activities. While first-year and second-year students may sporadically utilize spreadsheets in their science laboratory courses, they do not necessarily apply spreadsheets in an engineering context. To better align spreadsheets with the practical experiences of civil engineering students, a series of statics-related assignments were incorporated into a second-year civil engineering course at Saint Louis University, Missouri, United States. Students utilized spreadsheets to solve problems related to centroids and moments of inertia, equilibrium of a particle, shear force and bending moment diagrams, and truss analysis. Most students were concurrently enrolled in a statics course where they solved similar problems using pen and paper calculations and submitted their work. This research assessed student work, evaluated learning outcomes, and analyzed student feedback regarding the application of spreadsheets to statics topics. A survey was developed to collect students' opinions about competency in spreadsheets, their use in statics, and their utility in understanding concepts. Pre-test and post-test survey analysis revealed an improvement in students' self-reported spreadsheet proficiency, with students notably viewing spreadsheet-based statics problem-solving as a form of hands-on learning. Assessment of students' homework assignments revealed that the majority of students had met the learning outcomes related to the use of spreadsheets and were also able to solve statics problems correctly.

Kianfar, J., & Condoor, S. S., & Marmolejo, D. (2025, June), BOARD # 56: Spreadsheets in Civil Engineering: Fostering Proficiency through Practical Applications in Statics Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55870

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