Benefiting Professional Practice Using Engineering Mathematics: A Project Based Learning Approach

Traditionally in the engineering profession, engineers are taught to read a problem, draw the diaphragm, identify the applicable engineering equations and solve for the numerical solution. While the methodology addresses the importance of understanding the problem, the process of solving leads to a single numerical value. As a result, the solution is case specific. Any change or modification of the initial variables as is common in engineering practice is at considerable effort and expense. Using a more general mathematical approach, the applicable equations can be developed and manipulated symbolically in terms of unknown variables to develop a class of solutions (or system of equations). The resulting family of solutions is then reduced to a simple mathematical form, which can then be solved directly for the specific numerical solution. The focus of this paper is to present the student assessments of a sophomore level engineering statics course focusing on a mathematical technique used to develop generalized solutions to engineering problems. A fundamental approach is discussed which improves student understanding of the concepts in applied engineering mechanics. As part of the course, a steel truss bridge project is integrated into the curriculum.