COURSE Project (30%)

2022-2023

Basic Mechanics-I
ME-270

Spring 2023

Course Project Guidelines

ME270: Design of Steel Truss Bridge

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 Project Title: Design of Steel Truss Bridge

I. INTRODUCTION

II. LEARNING OUTCOMES

III. PROJECT FILES

IV. PROJECT SUMMARY (SCENARIO)

V. DELIVERABLES & PROJECT M ANAGEMENT

VI. PLAGIARISM

VII. MARKING SCHEME

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I. INTRODUCTION

Projects for engineering students give an edge over the race of recruitment to work
hard to ensure a good career. Despite employment practices in recent times.
Engineering projects help students to learn and acquire practical knowledge. Despite
of theory concept they acquire, various industries also need to know their capacity
to complete projects using their specific initiatives. Thus, we recommend students
to realize engineering projects in their four years of engineering and try to present
as many white papers as possible. Students who give importance to their course
projects are expected to learn how to:
 Work in teams including multidisciplinary teams
 Build a major design experience based on the knowledge and skills acquired
in the course work
 Build a major design experience incorporates appropriate engineering
standards and multiple realistic constraints
 Apply both analysis and synthesis in the engineering design process, resulting
in designs that meet the desired needs
In the design process, both creativity and criticism are essential. The followings are
the seven steps that students should consider while designing their projects:
 Recognition of the need and identifying opportunities: Every project begins
with recognition that needs improvement. These needs may be obvious or
hidden to be revealed by investigation, surveys or research.
 Definition of the design problem: It is a major task requires gathering
information about the problem.
 Definition of the design criteria and constraints: While the problem is being
defined, the design criteria and constraints must be defined
a. Design criteria are performance standards to be met by the design
b. Design constraints are limitations placed on the designer, the final design
or manufacturing process. Examples of possible constraints include
accessibility, aesthetics, codes, constructability, cost, ergonomics,
extensibility, functionality, interoperability, legal considerations,
maintainability, manufacturability, marketability, policy, regulations,
schedule, standards, sustainability, or usability.
c. Risk analysis
 The design loop: design is a repetitive process of:
a. Synthesis (Brainstorming - Generating new ideas)
b. Analysis (Breaking ideas – find expected results)
c. Decision-making (Deciding the best alternative)
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  Optimization: Design team must ask themselves if it is the optimum design.
Optimum is the best design that can be achieved at reasonable cost. The
proposed design is judged against the design criteria
Evaluation: Design team should hold a design review to approve drawings and
specifications before they are released. If an optimum design cannot be achieved,
the design team might revise the problem definition, the design criteria or the
constraints in order to achieve the optimal solution or prototype.

II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION :

The ME270 project is intended to demonstrate students’ ability to create mechanical

designs using the theories learnt in the class. In this particular project, the students
are required to design a steel truss highway bridge using West Point Bridge Designer
software (available for free). The challenge is that the students need to design a
bridge strong enough to support a truck weighing the 480 kN (one lanes) at the
minimum possible cost. The bridge must have the following specs.

Arch type

Bridge span rang (length) is between 32 - 38 m

No peers allowed

No cables allowed

The appropriate design is the one that is able to support the truck weight successfully
and be at the minimum possible cost. To accomplish this task, the students have to
decide among many alternatives (minimum three designs are required) such as type
of material, elements size, type of the abatement, etc.

Once satisfied with the design, the students need to select two of most critical
elements and conduct hand calculations using the methods learnt in the class
(Section and Joints). These obtained results should be then compared with the
software calculations and comments are made for any discrepancies.

Students are supposed to build a barbecue stick bridge, architectural model made of
barbecue stick or other hard, dry, straight sticks, using the best design they obtained
from their hand calculations and simulations. The maximum weight that the

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barbecue stick carrying (roughly) will be demonstrated in D3. For more details,
please visit the followings:

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Model-Bridge-out-of-Skewers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_py-E01irqg

Group Size: 3 students

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES

 ABET (1-7), refer to the syllabus for the details
 Basic Mechanics I Learning outcomes, refer to the syllabus for the details
Specific Learning Outcomes:
 Ability to apply theoretical knowledge in ‘real work’ project
 Ability to create mathematical models of real life situations and apply
reasonable assumptions to come up with an acceptable solution.
 Ability to present findings in clear and concise manner
 Ability to draw meaningful conclusions

IV. PROJECT FILES

Files associated with the project are posted on Moodle

Software useful tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfZOkCK24qs

V. PROJECT SUMMARY (SCENARIO)

Imagine that you are a mechanical engineer working for a road construction
company. Your manager has given you the task of designing arch type steel truss
bridge in one of the highways to be constructed by the company. You have been
given the freedom to design the bridge in anyway like provided that the bridge is
strong enough to support a truck weighs 480 kN and that cost is kept as low as
possible.

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VI. DELIVERABLES & PROJECT M ANAGEMENT
Deliverable Deadline Method of Delivery Grade
Allocated
Full report includes:

Abstract, introduction related to the all types of W10 Upload report on

D1 10.0%
bridges with more emphasis on truss bridges. Moodle on the
Introduction of West Point Bridge Designer specified link
software.
Identification for all givens, constraints and criteria
(problem statement).
Describe briefly the three designs selected for the
comparison. You can use hand sketch to describe
them. (maximum, 12 pages including the cover
page)
Final report includes final results, discussion,
conclusion, and references. The report contains
the following:
 Your West Point Bridge design showing a
print out of the bridge itself and the software
calculations
 Other alternative designs (three designs
minimum) using the software.
 Your hand calculations for two of most critical
truss members (Joints and Sections).
 Comparison between your hand calculations
and software calculations. Upload update report
D2 10.0%
W13 on Moodle on the
 Discussion for the following:
specified link (Turnitin
- The reason of your choice of the best submission)
design (cost, strength, etc.).
- Why is there a difference between
hand calculations and software results?
- What is the systematic approach to
reduce cost?

Final Presentation ( .PPT to be upload on Moodle) PowerPoint

Barbecue stick bridge (20% of D3) presentation uploaded
D3 W16 10%
on Moodle and
presented in the class
Total 30%

At least 2 faculty/students meetings must take place during the semester. The
meetings can be used to receive/evaluate deliverables or to provide feedback on
deliverables.

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VII. TURNITIN

Turnitin is a web-based solution that lets AUM faculty and AUM students check
written work for improper citation or misappropriated content. You may be assigned
a username and a password to be able to upload your assignments online, when and
if requested. If you face any technical problem, please contact IT at AUM.

VIII. APA STYLE

AUM adopts the APA writing style for all its academic programs. AUM students need
to use this style for their assignments. The following web site is of value for students:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/. Students are also
encouraged to visit the AUM Writing Lab to receive help and guidance on all APA-
related questions.

IX. MARKING SCHEME

Deliverable 100% 85% 75% 60%
Well written initial Initial report includes Initial report lacks Initial report lacks
report includes all all items but lacks clarity and missing clarity and missing
D1 elements mentioned clarity one element two items
in D1 above
100% 85% 75% 60%
D2 report D2 report D2 report D2 report
includes includes includes includes

-very neat design -very neat design -neat design - acceptable design
- lowest cost - 2nd lowest cost - 3rd lowest cost and
D2 (refer to
compared to other compared to other compared to other - 4th lowest cost
table in last
class sections class sections class sections compared to other
page)
-Accurate hand -Accurate hand -Accurate hand class sections
calculations calculations. calculations -hand calculations
- Well written report - satisfactorily written - Poorly written with some mistake
includes all the report includes all the report includes some - Very weak report
required elements elements of the elements
100% 85% 75% 60%
D3 excellent good presentation acceptable Weak presentation
Demo of the presentation presentation
Barbecue
stick bridge
(20%)

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Performance
Beginning Developing Proficient Exemplary
Indicator

The report is Evident The report The report

poorly effort of follows a follows a formal
structured with report formal structure and
little structure. structure and appropriate to
1. Structure: organization However, appropriate the topic
5% little to the topic.
attention is However,
given to misses minor
formatting. formatting
issues.

The report is Little effort is Evident Effort Style of writing

not capable of exerted of trying to well engages
2. Style capturing the towards get the the reader
5% attention of capturing the attention of throughout the
the reader reader’s the reader entire report.
attention

Little Effort is Some but Report gives Report written

done towards insufficient attention to in the past
applying effort is done grammar. tense. No sign
3. Syntax grammar rules, towards However, it of any
and spelling, applying includes grammatical or
Grammar punctuation, … grammar some minor syntax mistakes
5% rules, grammatical
spelling, or syntax
punctuation, mistakes.
…

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Performance
Beginning Developing Proficient Exemplary
Indicator

Poor Some but Major effort Use of discipline

vocabulary and insufficient towards specific
4. little use of effort using terminology.
Vocabulary discipline towards discipline The report
specific using specific includes a list of
5% vocabulary discipline terminology. abbreviations
specific
terminology.

The report The report The report The reports

provides addresses all addresses the content is
limited topics but topic in full comprehensive
5. Content exploration to three or with one or and fully
the topic more topics two minor addresses all
70%
are not fully items missing needed items
presented

Little evidence An Use of APA Appropriate use

6. of using any inconsistent style (or an of APA style (or
Appropriate referencing referencing approved an approved
Use of style style is alternative alternative
Referencing adopted. system) for system) for
System referencing. referencing
However,
5% some errors
were spotted.

7. Academic Report appears The report Report Report

Integrity to be not does not distinguishes distinguishes
sufficiently provide clear between clearly between
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 Performance
Beginning Developing Proficient Exemplary
Indicator

5% acknowledging distinction student’s student’s own

work of other between own work work and the
authors. students’ and the work work of others.
work and of others. This is achieved
work of This is by sufficient
others. achieved by and appropriate
sufficient and citations
appropriate throughout the
citations report.
throughout
the report.

I. PLAGIARISM
Reference to the students’ handbook.

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