Overview

This unit of study aims to provide students with an understanding of structural and material behaviour, failure modes and the design of simple structures and machine components.

Requisites

Prerequisites
ENG10003 Engineering Mechanics

OR
ENG10002 Engineering Materials
OR
CVE10004 Mechanics of Structures *

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Analyse structural and material behaviour (K1, K2, K3, S1, S2)
  • Apply failure theories in the design of simple structures and machine components (K2, K3, K6, S1, S3)
  • Apply relevant standards and codes of practice in the design of simple structures and machine components (K3, K6, S1, S3)
  • Safely execute experiments, analyse and interpret results and errors, and formulate conclusions (K2, K6, S1, A7)
  • Conduct laboratory activities as part of a team and generate high quality reports (A2, A7)

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture		 2.00  11 weeks  22
Live Online
Lecture		 2.00  5 weeks  10
On-campus
Class		 2.00  11 weeks  22
On-campus
Lab		 2.00  3 weeks  6
Online
Learning activities		 0.50  12 weeks  6
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		 7.00  12 weeks  84
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Examination Individual  40 - 60%  1,2,3 
Quizzes Individual  20 - 30%  1,2,3 
Laboratory Report Individual/Group  15 - 25%  4,5 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

  1. an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
  2. Obtain at least 40% in the final exam, and 
  3. Obtain at least 40% of the possible marks for the laboratory hurdle.

Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement 2 and 3 in full, will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.

Content

  • Concept of Stress: definition of normal stress, shearing stress and bearing stress, free-body diagram, force triangle
  • Torsion: shearing stress, shearing strain, angle of twist, torque diagram
  • Bending Stresses: symmetrical sections, composite sections, plasticity
  • Mohr's Circles for plane stress and plane strain: strain gauges
  • Constitutive Equations: generalized Hook's law
  • Failure Theories: Von Mises criterion, Tresca criterion
  • Thin Walled pressure vessel: hoop stress and longitudinal stress
  • Beam Shear Force and Bending Moment: Analysis for reactions, shear force and bending for beams subjected to transverse loads
  • Beam Deflections: double integration method and superposition method
  • Columns: Euler buckling and local buckling, Euler's formulae
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation

Study resources

Reading materials

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