MAE 241 - Statics

Summer 2011 Semester

COURSE SYLLABUS
Credits: 3 Hr
Prerequisite: MATH 155 - Calculus 1 and Physics 111, both with grades of C
or better
Textbook: R. C. Hibbeler, STATICS, 12th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall,
New Jersey USA, 2004, ISBN 0-13-141167-5

Instructor:
Dr. Konstantinos A. Sierros: Room 263 ESB Annex (New addition) ,
Phone: (304) 293-3420
E-mail: Kostas.Sierros@mail.wvu.edu
(Section 001, CRN#: 51248) M, T, W, R 08:45 – 10:20, Room 355 ESB

Office Hours: M and W 10:30 – 11:30

Educational Objectives:
1. Critical Skills. Students must demonstrate mastery of the following
skills/knowledge to receive a passing grade in this course:
• Ability to draw complete and correctly labeled Free Body Diagrams of
rigid bodies or systems of rigid bodies in static equilibrium;
• Ability to compute the resultant of any number of concurrent forces in 2-
or 3- dimensions
• Ability to compute the dot product and cross product of two vectors, and
demonstrate understanding of the meaning of the results
• Ability to solve particle equilibrium problems in 2- or 3- dimensions
• Ability to compute the moment generated by a force about any point in 2-
D space.
• Ability to find support reactions for truss and frame/machine problems.

2. Competency Skills. Students are expected to demonstrate some level of

competency in the following skills. The semester grade will reflect the student’s
level of achievement of these objectives.
• Ability to reduce a system of forces acting on a rigid body to a single
equivalent force and compute its point of application
• Ability to solve rigid body equilibrium problems in 2- or 3-dimensions for
statically determinate systems
• Ability to compute frictional forces for sliding motion and for
belts/pulleys. Ability to solve the tip/slip problem.
• Ability to compute the centroid and the area moment of inertia of 2-D
bodies using the method of composite areas.
 • Ability to construct shear force and bending moment diagrams for systems
of concentrated forces and/or distributed loads acting on statically
determinate beams
• Ability to solve for the internal forces acting on any member of a pin-
jointed truss structure or a frame/machine component.
• Ability to find the centroid and area moment of inertia for 2-D shapes by
the method of integration.
• Ability to compute the moment about any axis in 3-D space generated by a
force or a system of forces.

Course Grading:
Evaluation of student performance will be done using a combination of absolute
and relative scales. This means that part of your grade will be based on your
demonstration of mastery of certain skills/knowledge. Those skills are listed as
the “critical skills” in the Educational Objectives section above. You will not
pass this class without demonstrating complete facility with those skills. The
remainder of your grade will be based on your level of mastery of the
“competency” skills, and to some extent on your performance relative to your
peers. Numerical grades will be assigned for quizzes, homework assignments,
hour exams and a final exam, with final semester grades weighted according to
the following scale.

1. Homework and quizzes: 20% Weighting @discretion of

instructor
2. 2 (one and a half hour) exams: 40%
3. Final exam: 40%
Semester grades will be assigned according to the standard scale:
A (90-100); B (80-89.9); C (70-79.9); D (60-69.9); F: less than 60.

Individual instructors may choose how to weight the split between homework
assignments and quizzes. Specific homework assignments and the content and
timing of exams and quizzes will also be decided by the instructor. The final will
be comprehensive.

Class Attendance:
Instructors may or may not record attendance and include it in the homework grade, at
the discretion of the instructor. Students are responsible for all material covered in class
regardless of their attendance. Students cannot expect to master the course material
without regular attendance at class.

Missed Exams:
Makeup exam can be granted only if the student obtained permission from the instructor
before the scheduled exam for medical and/or emergency reasons. Appropriate
papers must be provided by the student prior to the exam.
Homework:
Instructors will assign problems that are representative of the types of questions
that will appear on quizzes and exams. Homework that is to be submitted must be
done professionally and must include proper diagrams, neatly drawn and
appropriately labeled. Students are advised to use a straightedge and circle
template, and to submit homework on “Engineering Paper”. MAE 241 will for
most students be their first “real” engineering course, and part of becoming an
engineer is to learn professional presentation. Care and precision are the hallmark
of a successful engineer. Sloppy or unprofessional work will be penalized.
Specific details of how homework is to be done will be provided by the instructor.

The key to success in most engineering and science classes is to work a large
number of homework problems. Students are advised to work additional
problems for practice. It is not necessary to work a problem completely to
determine whether or not one knows how to complete the problem. It is much
better to work many problems down to the “plug and chug” point than it is to
work only a few to the final answer. The more problems you work, the greater
your chance of having one show up on an exam that is very similar to a problem
you have already done.

Solution Manuals
We are well aware that solution manuals for most textbooks are widely available,
and that it is common practice for students to copy the solutions to homework
problems directly from the manuals. YOU should be aware that this strategy is
not a good one. While it may gain you a few points on the homework grade, it
will not offset the loss in understanding you will suffer as a consequence of not
thinking your own way through the problem. Rest assured that exam and quiz
problems will not be identical to those for which you have manuals.

Having said that, we do think that there is a constructive way to use solution
manuals, and we welcome their use if done responsibly. We suggest that you
work a problem on your own, and then use the manual to check your answer. Or,
if you get really stuck (meaning you spend more than 15 or 20 minutes really
thinking about the problem and trying different ways to solve it), use the manual
to see what to do. Look at the strategy employed in the solution, don’t just copy
things down like an automaton. Then go find a similar problem and work it
without looking at the manual. Generally, problems in the text are grouped by
topic, so there will be similar problems near the one that stumped you.

Academic Integrity:
Students are expected to conduct themselves with complete integrity in this and
all classes at WVU. In MAE 241 that means the following: you may discuss
homework problems and class materials with other students but consulting or
copying the work of another student on an examination or quiz is absolutely
forbidden. Active measures will be taken to prevent cheating and to detect it if it
is attempted. Students caught cheating will receive a grade of zero for the
 assignment as a minimum penalty. Any student caught cheating more than once
in a semester will receive a grade of UF (unforgivable F—cannot be expunged
from the transcript via D/F repeat).

Statement on Social Justice:

WVU is committed to social justice. The instructor of this course concurs with
WVU’s commitment and expects to maintain a positive learning environment,
based upon open communication, mutual respect and nondiscrimination. Our
University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran
status, religion, sexual orientation, color, or national origin. Any suggestions are
encouraged as to how to further such a positive and open environment and to
anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class.
Please advise us and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services
(293-6700).

ABET Course
MAE 241 is a Related Course for ABET Outcomes A and E:
Outcome A: Graduates will have an ability to apply mathematics, science and
engineering.
Outcome E: Graduates will have an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering
problems.
 Tentative Schedule

Assignments/
Week Day Topic
Problems
Introduction, Math Review, Units, Methodology,
M Study Ch 1
Introduction to force vectors (1.1-2.1)
Vector operations, Cartesian Vectors, Addition of
T 2.1-2.6
Cartesian vectors (2.1-2.6)
1 Position vectors, Dot product, Condition for particle
W 2.7-3.1
equilibrium (2.7-3.1)
Free body diagrams, Coplanar force systems, 3D force
R 3.2-3.4
systems (3.2-3.4)
Moment of a force, Cross product, Vector formulation,
M 4.1-4.4
Principle of moments (4.1-4.4)
Moment of a couple, Simplification of force-couple
T 4.5-4.9
systems (4.5-4.9)
2 Rigid body equilibrium, Free body diagrams, Equations
W 5.1-5.3
of equilibrium (5.1-5.3)
Force members, Free body diagrams, Equilibrium,
R 5.4-5.7
Constraints (5.4-5.7)
M Memorial Day – No class
T Review 1 Revise Ch.1-5
3 W Exam 1
R Simple trusses, Method of joints, Sections (6.1-6.4) 6.1-6.4
M Space trusses, frames and machines (6.5-6.6) 6.5-6.6
T Internal forces, Shear and moment equations (7.1-7.2) 7.1-7.2
Distributed loads, shear and moment relations, cables
4 W (7.3-7.4)
7.3-7.4
Dry friction, Wedges, Frictional forces on screws (8.1-
R 8.1-8.4
8.4)
M Review 2 Revise Ch1-8
T Exam 2
5 W
Center of gravity, Mass centroid, Composite bodies,
9.1-9.3
Pappus and Guldinus (9.1-9.3)
R Distributed loading, fluid pressure (9.4-9.5) 9.4-9.5
Moments of inertia, Parallel axis theorem, Radius of
M 10.1-10.3
gyration (10.1-10.3)
Composite areas, product of inertia, inclined axes
6 T 10.4-10.6
(10.4-10.6)
W Review 3 Revise Ch1-10
R Final Exam