Transitioning students to finite element analysis and improving learning in basic courses

Steif, Paul S.; Gallagher, Eugene V.

doi:10.1109/fie.2004.1408752

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has wide applicability in solving problems in structural, dynamic, thermal, fluid and electrical engineering problems [11][12][13][14], and the ability to demonstrate a wide variety of concepts effectively, for example, applying FEA to a common truss problem can help the student visualize the bending of truss members and deformation in a way previously not possible. Use of FEA for studying engineering concepts is similar to the inclusion of laboratory experiments in lecture courses, to provide reinforcement of core lecture material more effectively than a textbook [15].…”

Section: Motivation and Need Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging the Gaps: Augmenting Design Learning Through Computer-Aided Exploration

Sriram

Tolbert

Cardella

et al. 2015

Volume 3: 17th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle Technologies; 12th International Conference on Design Education; 8t

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In helping students learn engineering design, it is very important that they explore complex scenarios that are realistic, and fall outside the domain of standard and over-simplified textbook problems that typically have an answer. A majority of the current educational methods and computer-based tools do not bridge this gap and lack affordances for design exploration. Although computational methods such as Finite Element Analysis have this potential, they are hard to use requiring the users to spend a significant effort. Also, several instructors have identified significant knowledge gaps in concepts related to structural design and strength of materials when the students reach their senior year. To this end, we have developed a problem-based framework to allow for rapid design exploration within engineering design curricula using an easy-to-use, simplified and constrained version of finite elements for stress analysis and exploration. Our framework makes it possible for users to rapidly explore various design options by incorporating a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) backend for design exploration. Our approach uses a constrained design problem for weight minimization that incorporates elements of structural topology optimization but does not automate it. Instead we provide the user the control on decision making for changing the shape through material removal. Using this framework, we explore the decision making of users, and their methodology in the course of the activities that provide a context of control, challenge and reflection. Using video and verbal protocol analysis we integrate assessment in ways that are important and interesting for learning. Our framework demonstrates that the ability of computational tools that are transformed for learning purposes can scaffold and augment learning processes in new ways.

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Section: Motivation and Need Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bridging the Gaps: Augmenting Design Learning Through Computer-Aided Exploration

Sriram

Tolbert

Cardella

et al. 2015

Volume 3: 17th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle Technologies; 12th International Conference on Design Education; 8t

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most engineering undergraduate curricula offer courses in finite element modeling in the senior year as an elective course. Although there have been some efforts to incorporate finite element modeling in other engineering courses throughout the undergraduate curriculum 1–14, this approach has not gained wide application.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A hands‐on finite element modeling experience in a multidisciplinary project‐based freshman course

Ural

2013

Comp Applic In Engineering

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ABSTRACT:Computational methods are being widely used in engineering analysis, design, and research.In order to prepare the students for engineering practice or graduate school, the undergraduate engineering curriculum needs to provide sufficient exposure to computational methods during the 4-year undergraduate education. This paper summarizes the introduction of freshman students to finite element modeling as a part of a hands-on multidisciplinary project-based course. The project focuses on improving students' understanding of structural behavior through experimental and computational methods. The goals of implementing finite element modeling in this project are to enhance the mechanics understanding of students, to increase the students' interest in engineering, and to introduce computational methods to undergraduate students at an early stage during their undergraduate education. The incorporation of finite element modeling in the project provides a powerful tool to visualize the theoretical concepts that are new to the freshman level students such as stress and strain and help to improve their understanding of the experimental observations made in the laboratory setting. The student evaluations show that the finite element modeling part of the project is intellectually stimulating and leads to development of new knowledge and skills. The exposure of freshman students to finite element modeling through a project-based course is expected to help their development as engineers and increase their preparedness for engineering practice or graduate school after graduation.

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“…As articulated in the initial construction of the mini-FEA program [11] , the goal of this program is aimed to attack only a small class of problems addressed in classical mechanics of materials using the basic theory of linear elasticity through FEM. This is very different from any commercial general purpose FEA package such as ANSYS, which is developed to address diverse problems in various disciplines, from solid mechanics to fluid and heat flow problems, from linear to nonlinear, from statics to dynamics, from regular simple geometry to irregular complicated three-dimensional geometrical configurations.…”

Section: Fem Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To illustrate, some key features of the mini-FEA program may be summarized from the existing work by Steif. [11,12,[14][15][16] • Mini-FEA can be used to solve any 2-D plane linear elastic problem with rectangular domain. Key quantities at any node or a cluster of nodes can be retrieved with ease including displacements U x and U y , normal stresses σ x and σ y , shear stress τ xy , normal strains ε x and ε y , and shear strain γ xy .…”

Section: Fem Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most recently, efforts have been made to include the FEM into teaching methodologies in low level undergraduate courses [8][9][10][11] such as statics and mechanics of materials. For such low level engineering classes, the FEM is mainly used for demonstration of concepts in the subject matter Page 26.776.2 rather than the understanding of the program itself.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Finite Element Method as a Useful Modern Engineering Tool to Enhance Learning of Deformation Concepts

Qian

Yaw

2015 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings

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As an advanced modern engineering tool, the Finite Element Method (FEM) has been widely adopted in current undergraduate engineering curricula, especially in the discipline of mechanical engineering. However, the usage of FEM as a tool integrated into other fundamental engineering classes, such as statics and dynamics, fluid and thermal, and mechanics of materials, is not as common as one might suppose. Including, this present-day engineering tool is proposed to assist the teaching of deformation concepts in mechanics of materials. Due to the inherent complexity of FEM, a small finite element analysis (FEA) program, mini-FEA, developed by Professor Paul S. Steif at Carnegie Mellon University about fifteen years ago, is used to illustrate the concepts and quickly show how it works. For complex geometry, ANSYS Mechanical APDL programs were created by the instructor so that the requirements of student interaction with the program are minimal, and to keep their focus on deformation concepts. The mini-FEA allows the instructor to provide a quick illustration of deformation concepts as well as the basic steps in implementing FEM. The concepts of deformation mechanics are then demonstrated by graphical illustrations from both FEM and the traditional photoelasticity method. The purpose of this paper is to study the effectiveness of integrating FEM and discover how FEM further enhances students' learning in comparison with the traditionally used photoelasticity method. From the survey feedback, the effectiveness of the FEM model in enhancing student learning is clearly seen. Assessment of this approach and results of teaching strategies are presented.

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Transitioning students to finite element analysis and improving learning in basic courses

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

Bridging the Gaps: Augmenting Design Learning Through Computer-Aided Exploration

Bridging the Gaps: Augmenting Design Learning Through Computer-Aided Exploration

A hands‐on finite element modeling experience in a multidisciplinary project‐based freshman course

Finite Element Method as a Useful Modern Engineering Tool to Enhance Learning of Deformation Concepts

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