Starting with the a-ha: An integrated introduction to solid and fluid mechanics
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Abstract
- We have developed an introduction to continuum mechanics for sophomore students without any
prior knowledge of mechanics. The essence of continuum mechanics, the internal response of
materials to external loading, is often obscured by the complex mathematics of its formulation.
By building gradually from one- to higher-dimensional formulations, and integrating multiple
case studies, we are able to make this subject more accessible to undergraduates. Students
develop both physical intuition for, and the mathematical techniques to describe, solid and fluid
behavior. At the same time they gain a unique appreciation for the connections between solid and
fluid mechanics. These connections are often only revealed to advanced undergraduates and
graduate students who elect to study continuum mechanics, when a curtain is pulled back to
reveal the a-ha – the similarities between solids’ and fluids’ governing equations, and the
connections between their constitutive laws. In our approach, we start with this a-ha.
Through this approach, students appreciate the behavior of engineering materials as a spectrum
with Hookean solids at one extreme, and Newtonian fluids at another, with many complex
behaviors (for example, that of biomaterials) in between. Our approach demonstrates the
connections between solid and fluid mechanics, as well as the larger mathematical issues shared
by both fields, to students who have not yet taken courses in fluid mechanics and/or strength of
materials. The context and foundation provided by this educational strategy effectively prepare
students to continue to study either solid or fluid mechanics, apply computational methods, or
specialize in the connections themselves by returning to a deeper study of the overarching field
of continuum mechanics.
The continuum approach permits students to synthesize and analyze knowledge, and our use of
case studies integrates cultural, political, and ethical issues into a sociotechnical understanding of
engineering mechanics. We describe the development and implementation of this approach at
one institution, and how we resolved the challenges involved in transferring the approach to a
second institution. We discuss several refinements to our methodology that resulted from
broadening our audience. Assessment results from over 10 years, at two institutions, are
evaluated and interpreted.
| Title | Starting with the a-ha: An integrated introduction to solid and fluid mechanics |
|---|---|
| Creator | Dym, C. L. |
| Bassman, L. | |
| Rossmann, Jenn Stroud | |
| Publisher | ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings |
| Academic Department | Mechanical Engineering |
| Division | Engineering |
| Organization | Lafayette College |
| Date Issued | 2015 |
| Date Available | 2015-06-29T14:38:54Z |
| Type | Article |
| Language | English |
| Bibliographic Citation | Rossmann, J. S., C. L. Dym, and L. Bassman. (2015) "Starting with the a-ha: An integrated introduction to solid and fluid mechanics." ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings. Paper 11198. |
| Standard Identifier | Handle 10385/2007 |
| Permalink | http://hdl.handle.net/10385/2007 |
| Rights Statement |
In Copyright
|
| Rights Holders | American Society for Engineering Education |
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| File | RossmannJ-ASEEAnnualConferenceandExpositionProceedings-paper11198-2015.pdf | Uploaded 2019-10-20 | Public | Download |
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