ERIC Number: EJ1241451
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Feb
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2158-0502
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Analyzing Concrete Beam Design: Verifying Predictions in T&EE Classrooms
Hughes, Andrew J.; Merrill, Chris
Technology and Engineering Teacher, v79 n5 p14-19 Feb 2020
Design is often accepted as a fundamental aspect of engineering (Dym, et al., 2005). The design process is frequently portrayed as a set of steps. However, the design process is more complex than just a set of steps in a relatively fixed process. The complex nature of design, design thinking, questioning, and decision making is exactly what technology and engineering classrooms are well suited to address. When addressing the question--"Why is technology and engineering education (T&EE) so important?"--the authors believe T&EE's importance relates to our discipline's ability to solve complex problems by balancing theory and practice in engaging hands-on learning scenarios like designing, fabricating, and testing a concrete beam. In the previous article (see EJ1234886), students were exposed to beams with relatively uniform single polygon rectangular cross-sectional areas in the moment-of-inertia lab. In the case of an I-beam, both the flanges and web have individual moment-of-inertia quantities. These individual inertia quantities combine to determine the I-beam's moment of inertia about a specified axis (commonly the neutral axis, INA). The focus of this second article of two is another moment-of-inertia lab and a final concrete-beam design challenge. The lab further develops students' understanding of additional engineering principles involved in beam design. This article starts by providing background information on the moment of an area with respect to an axis. Then it transitions into the lab activity for the purpose of students determining how the moment-of-inertia quantity is affected by the distribution of area relative to the centroidal axis.
Descriptors: Engineering Education, STEM Education, Design, Manufacturing, Construction (Process), Experiential Learning, Laboratories, Class Activities, Mechanics (Physics)
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association. 1914 Association Drive Suite 201, Reston, VA 20191-1539. Tel: 703-860-2100; Fax: 703-860-0353; e-mail: iteea@iteea.org; Web site: https://www.iteea.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A