Incorporating Design Into Introductory Statics And Strength Of Materials Courses

The design of rigid permanent structures, statics, is the most basic of engineering concepts. We believe it is also the place to introduce first year students to design and the broader issues of engineering, and by doing so excite students in all engineering disciplines. We have developed an introductory engineering course based on statics. This course begins by introducing the students to the fundamental physics of statics equilibrium and culminates with the students being able to design a simple structure. To make this course successful we adopted the philosophy "Involve me and I'll not only learn but understand and remember". Such involvement requires emphasizing oral, written, and visual communication. In the beginning of the course, the physical laws are demonstrated by self directed laboratories. During the middle of the course, students optimize a truss using a spreadsheet. The course culminates with a project where the students using a special form of the Tresca Criterion can select a material and its dimensions for a design. This also means they can be introduced to the business consequences of their decision. In this paper we will discuss the evolution of this course during the last three years, the innovative course content, the innovative teaching techniques employed, the dynamics among the instructors, and how we applied what was learned in the Strength of Materials course.