Teaching And Learning Structural Analysis Using Mathcad

The students taking Structural Analysis (required) in the ABET-accredited 4-year Civil Engineering Technology program at Georgia Southern University learn two classical methods for analysis of statically indeterminate continuous beams and frames the moment distribution method and the slope-deflection method. The moment distribution method operates by successive approximations approaching the exact solution. Learning this method provides an unique perspective of how the internal reactions (moments) and the associated structural deformations are interrelated, an understanding of which is essential in structural analysis. However, the traditional teaching method (lecturing and having the students work on related assignments) does not always prove to be effective. An approach to teaching this important classical method of structural analysis that complements the traditional lecturing through inclusion of a powerful, versatile and user-friendly computational tool, is discussed in this paper. Students will learn how to utilize Mathcad to perform a variety of calculations in a sequence and to verify the accuracy of their manual solutions. A Mathcad program is developed for this purpose and examples to illustrate the computer program are also included in this paper. The integration of Mathcad will enhance students’ problem-solving skills, as it will allow them to focus on analysis while the software performs routine calculations. Thus it will promote learning by discovery, instead of leaving the student in the role of passive observer.