OVERVIEW

The course deals with the fundamentals and advanced concepts of solid and structural mechanics together with the related solution tecniques for the design of structures.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim is to supply advanced concepts and related analytical, semi-analytical and numerical solution techniques to analyze the mechanical behavior of 3D and 2D structures in order to form the basis for their structural design under the elastic regime.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and active participation in the proposed training activities (frontal lessons, exercises and known solutions for problems of practical application) together with the individual study will allow the student to:

recognize physical problems of structural engineering which can be solved through the analysis of 3D and 2D structures;

know the fundamentals of continuum models for deformable solids and of structural models for plates;

analyze the equilibrium configurations of bending elastic plates loaded in and out of their plane;

know the fundamentals of the finite element method as a prerequisite for a correct employment of commercial software;

determine quantitatively the critical loads for plates uniformly compressed.

TEACHING METHODS

The module provides 60 hours of frontal lessons in the classroom.

The presentation of theoretical contents (40 hours) alternates with exercises and applicative examples (20 hours). The aim is to encourage learning and discussion employing the appropriate technical termonilogy for structural engineering. The exercises solved have the same characteristics of those proposed during the exam.

Transversal skills in terms of communication and independent learning ability will be also acquired doing exercises with the teacher.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The programme of the module includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

Solid mechanics:

reminders of statics and kinematics of a continuum (Cauchy continuum; stress and strain vectors and tensors; equilibrium and compatibility equations; virtual work theorem); elastic constitutive equations (theory of elasticity; general theorems; isotropy and orthotropy); linear elastic problem (governing equations; uniqueness of solution; formulations in terms of displacements or stresses; methods of solution; plane stress and plane strain problems).

Theory of plates:

Kirchhoff and Mindlin-Reissner plate theories; statics and kinematics; equilibrium, compatibility and elastic constitutive equations; stress distributions; Germain-Lagrange equation and related semi-analytical techniques of solution; buckling of plates uniformly compressed.

Finite element method:

kinematics and statics of a finite element; discrete model and assembly procedure; local and global stiffness matrices and equivalent node load vectors; solution procedure of a numerical model; conditions of accuracy.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The notes taken during the lessons and the material in the web classroom are sufficient for the preparation of the exam. Additional helpful teaching materials will be available in the web classroom. The solutions of additional exercises, eventually proposed, will not be available: students are encouraged to show and discuss their solutions with the teacher, in order to check that the correct approach is followed.

For those interested, the following books are suggested as supporting and deepening texts:

Nunziante L., Gambarotta L., Tralli A. (2008). Scienza delle costruzioni, McGraw-Hill, Milano.

Timoshenko S., Goodier J.N. (1951). Theory of elasticity, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Corradi dell'Acqua L.(1992). Meccanica delle strutture - Le teorie strutturali e il metodo degli elementi finiti, vol. 2, McGraw-Hill, Milano.

Timoshenko S.P., Woinowsky-Krieger S. (1959). Theory of plates and shells, McGraw-Hill, Singapore.

Timoshenko S.P., Gere J.M. (1961). Theory of elastic stability, McGraw-Hill, New York.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/8738/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final exam of the module consists in passing an oral test.

The oral test consist in an interview: the students can be required to solve exercises, describe concepts, theories and formulations, as well as to derive equations and prove theorems.

At least two exam dates for the ‘winter’ session (January and February) and three exam dates for the ‘summer’ session (June, July and September) will be available. No other exam dates will be available.

The online registration for the exam is mandatory by 10 days before the preferred date.

The final grade for the module will take into account the correctness and completeness of answers in the oral test, as well as the quality of exposition, the correct use of technical terminology and critical reasoning ability.

The final grade for the teaching will be the average of the marks obtained in the two modules in which the teaching is divided.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For a successfull learning, basic knowledge of mathematics and physics is required, but no formal prerequisites are required.

The details on how to prepare the exam and on the degree of deepening of each topic will be given during the lessons.

The oral test includes questions concerning all the topics (solid mechanics, theory of plates, finite element method) presented in class.

The exam aims to assess the ability to apply the theoretical bases of the module to general or specific cases of interest in the framework of structural engineering.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with particular needs are asked to contact the teacher at the beginning of lessons.