• Semester 2 (Day)
• Semester 2 (External)

Synopsis

Fundamental  to  engineering work is the ability to make  predictions
about  how things will behave when they are subject to some  actions.
For example when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was designed by engineers,
they  needed to be able to predict how it would behave so  that  they
could be confident that it would not fail when loaded by cars, trucks
and trains.

Making such predictions is never easy.  There are however a range  of
mathematically based analytical techniques which can be used to  make
reliable  and  accurate  predictions.   In  this  Unit  you  will  be
introduced  to  one  such analytical tool called Engineering  Statics
which  can  be  used  to  make predictions about  how  forces  affect
structures  such  as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.   You  will  use  the
technique  to  predict how forces cause beams,  columns  and  machine
parts to bend, stretch and possibly break.  In later design Units you
will make extensive use of Engineering Statics.