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C. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
CCLI-EMD: Development of a Finite Element Method LearningEnvironment for UndergraduatesC.1.
 
R 
ESULTS FROM
P
RIOR 
NSF
 
S
UPPORT
 
C.1.1. Principal Investigator: Joseph J. Rencis – Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
 NSF Award Number: DGE-0231773 Program Name: Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12Amount of Support: $1,081,764 Period of Support: 06/03 - 05/06Title of Project: K-6 Gets a Piece of the PIEE–Partnerships Implementing Engineering EducationInvestigators: Judith E. Miller (PI) and Joseph J. Rencis (co-PI)
This proposal was just starting when the proposal being considered was submitted.
 NSF Award Number: EEC-9820395 Program Name: Engineering Education and CentersAmount of Support: $139,843 Period of Support: 06/99 - 06/02Title of Project: REU Site for Industrial Projects in Manufacturing EngineeringInvestigators: Mustapha Fofana (PI) and Joseph J. Rencis (co-PI)
This proposal does not have a direct bearing on the proposal being considered.
C.1.2. co-Principal Investigator: Javed Alam - Youngstown State University (YSU)
Dr. Alam has not received any type of NSF grant in the last five years.
C.2.
 
G
OAL
,
 
O
BJECTIVES AND
O
UTCOMES
 
The finite element method (FEM) has become the engineering tool of choice of  practicing engineers in Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering to design andmaintain the national infrastructure, e.g., buildings, highways, bridges, automobiles, airplanes,nuclear power plants, etc. This proposal is in response to the national awareness that moststudents and practicing engineers are well trained in using FEM software, but not
 
 particularlywell educated in the best established practice of FEM [1,2].The
 goal 
of this proof-of-concept project is to design, develop, assess and disseminate anopen access finite element method learning environment (FEML) for teaching the fundamentalsof FEM that can be used by students and practicing engineers. FEML will include theassumptions and best established practices in FEM and strongly emphasize verifying and
 
 2
checking the FEM analysis results. The three
objectives
of the proposed work for developing anFEML environment include the following:1.
 
 E-learning Objects.
Develop e-learning objects for FEM by using state-of-the-art recentlyestablished standards for the content creation by the World Wide Web (WWW) Consortium.Also include an open source e-learning management system for delivering the FEM course.2.
 
Web Site.
Establish a web site to disseminate and deliver FEML to undergraduates andfaculty members by becoming a service of the National Science Digital Library.3.
 
 Evaluation Plan.
Develop an assessment process to determine the effectiveness of the FEMLenvironment based upon student work and feedback.The e-learning objectives of the FEML, and its evaluation, will be based on Bloom'sTaxonomy [3] as follows:1.
 
 FEM Model Characteristics (Knowledge).
Know the physical and approximate behavior andusage of each model type commonly used in FEM practice.2.
 
Mechanics of Materials Theory (Comprehension).
Understand the fundamentals of mechanics of materials theory.3.
 
 FEM Theory (Comprehension).
Understand the fundamental basis of finite element theory.4.
 
 FEM Modeling Practice (Application).
Be able to select a suitable finite element model for agiven engineering problem.5.
 
 FEM Hand Solutions (Application and Analysis)
. Be able to solve simple finite element problems by hand and compare the solution to that obtained by traditional mechanics of materials methods.6.
 
 FEM Solution Interpretation and Verification (Comprehension and Evaluation).
Be able tointerpret and evaluate finite element solution quality, including importance of verification.7.
 
 FEM in Design (Synthesis and Evaluation).
Understand how FEM is used and applied in thedesign process.
 
 3
8.
 
 FEM Assumptions and Limitations (Evaluation).
Be aware of the assumptions andlimitations of FEM.
C.3.
 
D
ETAILED
P
ROJECT
P
LAN
 
C.3.1. What are the Project Features and Needs that will be Addressed in this Work and the Established Research Base on which this Project Builds?
C.3.1.1. What are the Project Features and Needs that will be Addressed in this Work?
The main feature of this work is the development of an e-learning environment for FEM.FEM is a mathematical technique that simulates physical behavior by means of an approximatenumerical technique. Finite element analysis has always faced the challenge of modelingcomplex real problems by replacing the real problems with carefully designed, yet easilymanipulated simpler problems which obey the same fundamental principles. Today, FEM is oneof the most widely used methods for solving problems in the areas of structural mechanics, fluidmechanics, and heat transfer. This proposal will consider problems related to only linear staticstructural mechanics since it is the most frequently used [4].Years of experience with the method have shown that by understanding the fundamentalsof the technique, real complex systems can be modeled with a reasonable degree of reliability. Itis important to emphasize, however, that the reliability of the process is highly dependent on theskills of the engineer in the application of the method. Modern finite element software has become very sophisticated, and with the introduction of graphical pre- and post-processors, it has become very easy to use. Therefore, it is more important than ever to insure that the analyst, inhis/her search for the best modeling method, correctly uses the appropriate tools available.There are four reasons why education, not training, is needed for undergraduate students.First, FEM is now a standard engineering tool for both analysis and (re)design in industry.Second, the usage of finite element technology in industry has grown 10 to 20 % per year since1994 according to Peter Kingman [5] who has work in the field since 1975. This is due in part tothe development of powerful, user-friendly and inexpensive personal computers. Another reason
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