Self-paced, Problem-solving Approach to Teaching Finite Element Analysis in Strength of Materials

Anne Raich

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Conference: 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Publication Date: June 26, 2016
Start Date: June 26, 2016
End Date: June 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-692-68565-5
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Teaching & Learning Statics and Mechanics of Materials
Tagged Division: Mechanics
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/p.26159
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/26159
Download Count: 712

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Paper Authors

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Anne Raich Lafayette College

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Prof. Raich is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lafayette College. Her teaching interests are in structural mechanics and analysis, structural design, and computational methods and applications. Prof. Raich received her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and previously worked as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University and as a structural engineering consultant.

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Abstract

The finite element (FE) method is used widely by both civil and mechanical design professionals. Therefore, the need to provide students with the opportunity to gain an understanding of FE theory and to gain practice modeling and analyzing engineering problems using professional FE analysis software is critical even for undergraduates. The content of a fairly traditional Strength of Materials course was revised to provide students with a basic FE skill set, as well as to improve their understanding of how to use FE analysis as part of a design process. This change was motivated by the need to streamline the sequence of upper-level design courses while still providing students with the opportunity to learn the FE modeling and analysis skills needed to be successful in subsequent courses and in design project work. The change also increased the exposure students have to computational engineering tools, which is a stated desire of both ABET and our external advisory boards.

This project studied the effectiveness of the approach taken to integrate FE modeling and analysis content into four sections of Strength of Materials. The added content was constructed with the following objectives: a) improve the student’s understanding of specific stress, strain and deformation topics covered in the course by integrating experiences using a FE analysis program, b) provide students with a basic understanding of FE theory, c) provide students with the skill set needed to model and analyze combined load problems using a FE analysis program; and d) provide students with an understanding of how element type, mesh size, support conditions, and other modeling decisions may impact FE results.

The added FE content consisted of ten hours of in-class recitation time and thirty hours of out-of-class self-paced instruction time. The ANSYS Workbench 15 self-paced instruction used stand-alone tutorials that presented specific topics in a visual format. The recitation time was run as a problem solving session in which students worked individually to complete ANSYS homework problems. In the tutorials and recitations, students were required to compare hand calculations with ANSYS results. In addition, students were required to solve the semester combined load design problem, which was a compound bar system subjected to external forces and torques, using ANSYS and using standard hand calculations. Assessment was done to determine if adding significant FE content to Strengths was effective in improving student understanding of specific mechanics topics and providing a sufficient understanding of FE theory and analysis. Survey feedback was collected after each tutorial and homework assignment. In the surveys, students self-assessed their confidence about recently acquired ANSYS skills. The individual assignments determined whether students could apply ANSYS skills to new problems. Also, final student grades on the semester design project provided a means to assess the competence of students in performing hand calculations and ANSYS analysis. Preliminary results indicate that students acquired a sufficient understanding of basic ANSYS modeling skills but not of basic FE theory. This result could be potentially addressed by holding a full semester of in-class recitation sessions.

Citation
Format

Raich, A. (2016, June), Self-paced, Problem-solving Approach to Teaching Finite Element Analysis in Strength of Materials Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana. 10.18260/p.26159

TY - CPAPER
AB - The finite element (FE) method is used widely by both civil and mechanical design professionals. Therefore, the need to provide students with the opportunity to gain an understanding of FE theory and to gain practice modeling and analyzing engineering problems using professional FE analysis software is critical even for undergraduates. The content of a fairly traditional Strength of Materials course was revised to provide students with a basic FE skill set, as well as to improve their understanding of how to use FE analysis as part of a design process. This change was motivated by the need to streamline the sequence of upper-level design courses while still providing students with the opportunity to learn the FE modeling and analysis skills needed to be successful in subsequent courses and in design project work. The change also increased the exposure students have to computational engineering tools, which is a stated desire of both ABET and our external advisory boards.

This project studied the effectiveness of the approach taken to integrate FE modeling and analysis content into four sections of Strength of Materials. The added content was constructed with the following objectives: a) improve the student’s understanding of specific stress, strain and deformation topics covered in the course by integrating experiences using a FE analysis program, b) provide students with a basic understanding of FE theory, c) provide students with the skill set needed to model and analyze combined load problems using a FE analysis program; and d) provide students with an understanding of how element type, mesh size, support conditions, and other modeling decisions may impact FE results.

The added FE content consisted of ten hours of in-class recitation time and thirty hours of out-of-class self-paced instruction time. The ANSYS Workbench 15 self-paced instruction used stand-alone tutorials that presented specific topics in a visual format. The recitation time was run as a problem solving session in which students worked individually to complete ANSYS homework problems. In the tutorials and recitations, students were required to compare hand calculations with ANSYS results. In addition, students were required to solve the semester combined load design problem, which was a compound bar system subjected to external forces and torques, using ANSYS and using standard hand calculations.

Assessment was done to determine if adding significant FE content to Strengths was effective in improving student understanding of specific mechanics topics and providing a sufficient understanding of FE theory and analysis. Survey feedback was collected after each tutorial and homework assignment. In the surveys, students self-assessed their confidence about recently acquired ANSYS skills. The individual assignments determined whether students could apply ANSYS skills to new problems. Also, final student grades on the semester design project provided a means to assess the competence of students in performing hand calculations and ANSYS analysis. Preliminary results indicate that students acquired a sufficient understanding of basic ANSYS modeling skills but not of basic FE theory. This result could be potentially addressed by holding a full semester of in-class recitation sessions.

AU - Anne Raich
CY - New Orleans, Louisiana
DA - 2016/06/26
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Self-paced, Problem-solving Approach to Teaching Finite Element Analysis in Strength of Materials
UR - https://peer.asee.org/26159
DO - 10.18260/p.26159
ER -