Overview

The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the basic principles of equilibrium and provide an environment where they can learn about and evaluate the behaviour of structural members under applied loads; in particular, structural behaviour of members under axial load, shear force and bending actions.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
21-October-2024
31-January-2025
Last self-enrolment date
03-November-2024
Census date
15-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-December-2024
Results released date
11-February-2025
Pathways Teaching 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
24-February-2025
30-May-2025
Last self-enrolment date
09-March-2025
Census date
21-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
10-June-2025
Pathways Teaching 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
23-June-2025
26-September-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-July-2025
Census date
18-July-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
15-August-2025
Results released date
07-October-2025
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
20-October-2025
30-January-2026
Last self-enrolment date
02-November-2025
Census date
14-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
12-December-2025
Results released date
10-February-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Discern and determine the magnitude of loads acting on simple structural members
  • Analyse rigid body equilibrium including: <br /> a) Construct free body diagrams showing the function of simple structural elements <br /> b) Analyse and evaluate the force(s) or moment(s) required to maintain a structure in equilibrium <br /> c) Analyse and evaluate external reactions on structural members under applied loading <br /> d) Construct and evaluate axial force, shear force and bending moment diagrams for simple beams
  • Analyse the behaviour of structural members including: <br /> a) Analyse and evaluate section properties for simple cross sections <br /> b) Analyse and evaluate internal axial stresses, shear stresses and bending stresses in structural members such as beams, trusses, ties, struts, shafts and bolts

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture		2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Class		2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Class		2.00 10 weeks 20
On-campus
Practical		2.00 2 weeks 4
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		6.50 12 weeks 78
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
ExaminationIndividual 25% 1,2,3 
Laboratory ReportIndividual 30% 2 
Online AssignmentIndividual 20% 1,2,3 
TestIndividual 25% 1,2 

Content

  • Forces and Equilibrium: scalars and vectors, resultant and simple reaction calculations, moment of a force, conditions of equilibrium, free body diagrams, two and three force members, principles of friction
  • Structural Analysis of Trusses and Design of Simple Connections: external reaction calculations. Trusses analysis by method of joints and sections, and zero force members. Simple analysis of truss connections by axial and shear stress, including introduction to allowable stress versus ultimate stress
  • Internal Loadings – axial force, shear force and bending moment diagrams. Analysis of point, uniformly distributed and non-uniformly distributed loads. Relationship between loads, shear and bending moments
  • Section Properties of Structural Members: location of centroids for composite bodies. Second moments of area (moments of inertia) by integration and by the parallel axis theorem for composite areas
  • Internal Stresses - shear and bending stresses: The flexural formula and bending stresses in beams, bending stress distributions across beam sections. The shear formula and shear stresses in beams, shear stress distributions across beam sections

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.