This course has been discontinued
The 3-hour online course teaches construction of shear and moment diagrams for determinate beams and portions of a three hinged arch. It is a review for structural engineers and an introduction to important topics of structures for engineers of other disciplines. A sign convention for shear and moment is defined, explained, and demonstrated. Properties of load and shear diagrams are taught. Using shear diagrams to draw moment diagrams as well as moment diagram properties are taught.
The importance of beam deflections is discussed and calculation of deflections using Moment Area Principles and Mohr's Method of Elastic Weights is explained and shown in examples. The final section explains and illustrates methods to calculate truss deflection using Bernoulli's Principle of Virtual Work.
Prerequisites - This course builds on the principles learned in Courses One and Two. Some issues require engineering mechanics courses as a background, particularly Strength of Materials. Basic principles of differential calculus are used. Prerequisites are subjects that all engineers have studied. The techniques and methods presented can easily be applied in day to day situations by all who need a knowledge of structural analysis or who supervise and manage practicing structural engineers.