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Engineering Mechanics
COURSE OUTLINE
5. TEACHING TEAM
7. EMERGENCY CONTACT
This course aims at equipping students with the knowledge and practical skills needed for
solving every day engineering problems. It first reviews the concept of forces and vectors that
were introduced to the students in an earlier engineering and/or physics course. The course
then covers topics in Statics which include force systems on rigid bodies, distributed forces,
analysis of structures, forces in beams and cables along with friction.
Solve problems on forces and reactions in WA1 (B) and WA2 (B)
different machine components using the
conditions of equilibrium.
Complete a prescribed mini project and prepare WA10 (B)
the poster.
TOPIC Weeks
1 Introduction – mechanics, fundamental concepts and 1
principles, systems of units, conversion from one system of
units to another, method of problem solution, and numerical
accuracy.
2 Statics of particles – resultant of two forces, vectors, 2-3
addition of vectors, resultant of several concurrent forces,
resolution of forces into components, rectangular
components of a force, addition of forces by summing
rectangular components, equilibrium of a particle, Newton’s
first law of motion, free-body diagrams, rectangular
components of a force in space, and equilibrium of a particle
in space.
3 Rigid bodies: equivalent systems of forces – external and 4-5
internal forces, principle of transmissibility, moment of a
force about a point, Varigon’s theorem, moment of a force
about an axis, moment of a couple, equivalent force-couple
systems, and equivalent systems of forces.
4 Equilibrium of rigid bodies – free body diagrams, reactions 6-7
on 2D support structures, equilibrium of 2D rigid bodies,
reactions on 3D support structures, and equilibrium of 3D
rigid bodies.
5 Centroids and centers of gravity – center of gravity of a 2D 8-9
body, centroids of areas and lines, first moments of lines and
areas, composite plates and wires, determination of centroids
by integration, theorems of Pappus-Guldinus, distributed
loads on beams, center of gravity of a 3D body, centroid of a
volume, and composite bodies.
6 Analysis of structures and frames – trusses, analysis of 10-11
trusses by method of joints, analysis of trusses by method of
sections, structures containing multiforce members, and
analysis of a frame.
7 Forces in beams and cables – internal forces in members, 12-13
various types of loading and support, shear and bending
moment in a beam, shear and bending moment diagrams,
relations among load, shear, and bending moment, cables
with distributed and concentrated loads, and parabolic cables.
8 Friction – laws of friction, angles of friction, wedges, and 13-14
square threaded screws, journal bearings, thrust bearings,
wheel friction, and belt friction.
Prescribed Texts:
1. Beer, F., Johnston, R. and Eisenberg, E. 2013, Vector Mechanics for Engineers
(Statics), 10th Edition in SI units, McGraw Hill
There are some other books in the library in the area of engineering mechanics which
you can refer for additional reading.
The following table demonstrates the alignment of the course learning outcomes to
appropriate activities and assessments and the links to programme and USP graduate
outcomes.
Course Learning Associated Assessment Program USP Graduate
Outcome Teaching and me Outcomes
Learning Activities Outcomes
Apply the knowledge Attend and answer Tests, exams, WA1 (B), Communication,
Critical thinking
and practical skills the relevant and quizzes. and quantitative
reasoning
needed for solving questions in lectures,
well defined and quizzes.
engineering problems.
Solve problems on Lecture example, Lecture WA1 (B), Communication,
and Teamwork.
forces and reactions tutorial exercises, example, WA2 (B)
in different machine and laboratory work. tutorial
components using the exercises, and
conditions of laboratory
equilibrium. work.
Complete a Mini project. Project WA10 (B) Communication,
Critical thinking
prescribed mini poster. and quantitative
reasoning,
project and prepare Creativity, and
the poster. Teamwork.
A+ A B+ B C+ C D E
85-100 78-84 71-77 64-70 57-63 50-56 40-49 0-39
For detailed regulations, please refer to the USP Handbook and Calendar.
Rationale
Assessment is an integral part of the learning/teaching process. It is a means by which an
individual’s progress is measured.
Purposes
To meet the assessment requirements of the University of the South Pacific
To compare between an individual’s performance and be able to use the results to
compare between their past and present achievements
To provide an effective means of formative and summative evaluations
Guidelines
ii) Majority of assessment tasks are common every semester with incorporation of essential
innovations.
iii) Special equivalent assessment to be carried out only on satisfactory reasons of absence,
which may include:
Major illnesses support by a medical certificate. The validity of the medical certificate
may be required.
Student’s attendance to an official business
Timetable clashes
If absence is not covered by an acceptable reason, a result of ZERO will be
recorded for that assessment.
Plagiarism, copying materials from other sources without proper referencing and
acknowledge of the source is a serious offence and will be dealt with severely. In the
Regulations Governing Academic Misconduct section of the USP Handbook & Calendar
plagiarism is defined as “the copying of another person’s creative work and using it as
one’s own – without explicitly giving credit to the original creator. Work copied without
acknowledgement from a book, from another student’s work, from the internet or from any
other source”. If lecturer is satisfied that plagiarism has occurred, they will report the
matter to the Head of School. They can reduce marks appropriately. If the matter is seen as
serious enough it can be taken to the Student Disciplinary Committee by the Head of
School.
16.1 TUTORIALS
Compulsory to attend one hour tutorial session/week; tutorial sign up will be available on
moodle.
e-Learning
All course materials that will be made available on Moodle, students are encouraged to
print out notes well before time and read through it at least once so that it makes sense
once lectures a delivered.
All information and material will be provided on Moodle share for MM103 in the
website: http://elearn.usp.ac.fj. You may login using your SOLS username and
password.
Students may either call in personally or seek help via email. Any student seeking help
relating to the course via email should include the following:
EMAIL HELP
From: <a valid student ID to be used> (Reason: When we send it to outside mail,
spammers can get hold of our address to send us junk mail and it is very time involving to
scan through all emails)
Subject: <MM103 (F) – xxxxxxx> (This is to ensure that mail filters in my mail client is
FSTE Student Learning Specialists provide you with professional assistance for successful
study and help you develop as an independent active learner. Student Learning Support
services are provided at the Hub. The student support staff will:
More details about the FSTE Student Learning Support can be found at:
Website: http://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=10950
Moodle: FSTE Student Learning Support
Short-tests Included in
participation lecture
participation
Total 196