Pre-requisite: 64100
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.