MECHANICS 1

ECTS Credits: 4

Objectives:

Engineering Mechanics mostly deals with the behaviour of bodies under the action of forces and Statics forms one the bases for many of the traditional fields of engineering but also play fundamental roles in medicine and biology for instance. 

The general objectives of this course are: a) help students visualise and understand actual mechanical configurations with their constraints and practical limitations and, b) provide guidelines to formulate problems and relate theory and practice.

The specific objectives are: a) the ability to analyse the two- and three-dimensional equilibrium of solids, frames and machines in realistic conditions and b), determine the forces and moments required as boundary conditions for Strength of Materials analyses.

Syllabus:

1 – Introduction to Statics: 

• basic concepts, 
• scalar and vectors, vector algebra, 
• Newton’s laws, 
• problem solving strategies in Statics

2 – Force systems:

• forces on rigid-bodies, transmissibility principle
• two-dimensional force systems:
  • vector and graphical representations
  • moments and couples
  • resultants
• three-dimensional force systems
  • vector representation
  • moments and couples
  • resultants

3 – Equilibrium:

• free-body diagrams,  equilibrium in two dimensions
• equilibrium in three dimensions

4 – Applications in Engineering:

• Frames and machines
• Fluid statics
• Friction