Skip to main content
Unit of study_

AMME9301: Mechanics of Solids 1

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit aims to teach the fundamentals of analysing stress and deformation in elemental structures/components in aerospace, mechanical and biomedical engineering (bars, beams, frames, cell box beams and tubes) under simple and combined loading of tension, compression, bending and torsion. The vibration will also be addressed. At the end of this unit students will have gained knowledge of: equilibrium of deformable structures; basic concept of deformation compatibility; stress and strain in bars, beams and their structures subjected to tension, compression, bending, torsion and combined loading; statically determinate and indeterminate structures; energy methods for bar and beam structures; simple buckling; simple vibration; deformation of simple frames and cell box beams; simple two-dimensional stress and Morh`s circle; problem-based applications in aerospace, mechanical and biomedical engineering.

Unit details and rules

Unit code AMME9301
Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
AMME5301
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

Physics, statics, Differential Calculus, Linear Algebra, Integral Calculus and Modelling.

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Xianghai An, xianghai.an@sydney.edu.au
Demonstrator(s) Xiaoyu Cui, xiaoyu.cui@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Xianghai An, xianghai.an@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Abdulmalik Altaee, abdulmalik.altaee@sydney.edu.au
Robert Virgona, robert.virgona@sydney.edu.au
Fuzhong Qi, fuzhong.qi@sydney.edu.au
Arif Mahmud, arif.mahmud@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Take-home short release) Type D final exam Final exam
Type D: take-home. 4 questions need to be solved at required time slot.
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8
Assignment Assignment 1 for Wks 1-4 content
Home Assignments
7% Week 04
Due date: 04 Sep 2021 at 00:00

Closing date: 11 Sep 2021
4 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8 LO9
Tutorial quiz Quiz 1 for Wks 1-5 content
Online quiz (open book)
8% Week 06
Due date: 17 Sep 2021 at 12:00

Closing date: 17 Sep 2021
3 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Assignment 2 for Wks 5-7 content
Home Assignments
7% Week 07
Due date: 25 Sep 2021 at 00:00

Closing date: 02 Oct 2021
4 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO5
Assignment Assignment 3 for Wks 8-10 content
Home Assignments
7% Week 10
Due date: 23 Oct 2021 at 00:00

Closing date: 30 Oct 2021
4 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO1 LO5
Tutorial quiz Quiz 2 for Wks 6-12 content
Online quiz (open book)
8% Week 12
Due date: 05 Nov 2021 at 12:00

Closing date: 05 Nov 2021
3 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO8 LO7 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Lab report
Lab report
6% Week 12
Due date: 06 Nov 2021 at 00:00

Closing date: 13 Nov 2021
Maximum 3 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO9 LO8 LO7 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Assignment 4 for Wks 11-13 content
Home Assignments
7% Week 13
Due date: 13 Nov 2021 at 00:00

Closing date: 20 Nov 2021
4 questions need to be solved.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8
Type D final exam = Type D final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Assignments: There will be 4 major assignments (4 questions for each assignment) throughout the semester. Most assignment questions are real-life examples designed to increase the accessibility of the principles in mechanics of solids and raise the appeal of the subject. The assignment guidelines and questions can be viewed/downloaded from the course website in the Assignments section.
  • Quizzes: There will be two open-book quizzes (3 questions for each quiz, WKs 6 and 12) during the lecture time. You will be asked to implement your knowledge to solve a solid mechanics problem. The aims are to assess your analytical and calculation skills, and provide you with early stage feedback about your individual progress in this course. 
  • Laboratory: There will be laboratory classes that will be prerecorded in Week 9 for the students who enrolled RE mode and uploaded to Canvas, the Student who enrolled CC mode will attend the lab in-person (WKs 8-10). Participation in the lab class and lab report (maximum 3 pages) contribute to your total course mark.
  • Final Exam: The final exam will take place after normal lecturing. It will be a Open-book, take-home exam. There will be 4 questions for the final exam. The detailed date and time will be informed before WK12.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

5%/day penalties for the later submission.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to Mechanics of Solids, equations of statics, internal resultant loadings, and free body diagrams Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK1. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 02 Stress and strain: Stress, strain, Hooke’s law, Poisson's ratio Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK2. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 03 1. Axial loading, average stress, stress concentration, and thermal strain; 2. Indeterminate columns subjected to axial loading (equilibrium and compatibility) Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK3. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 04 Strain energy and work, strain energy under axial loading, Castigliano's second theorem Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK4. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 05 Torsion of circular shafts: Shear stress-strain relationship, torsion of circular shafts, power transmission, and statically indeterminate cases Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK5. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 06 Bending moments and shear forces: Graphic method and Macaulay's notation for constructing moment and shear diagrams Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK6. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 07 Bending: Assumptions, equilibrium of cross-sectional stresses, neutral axis, flexure formula, and parallel axis theorem Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK7. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 08 Composites materials, shear formula, and combined loadings Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK8. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 09 Biaxial stress systems: Principal stresses, maximum shear stress, and Mohr's circle Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK9. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 10 Applications of the plane stress: thin walled pressure vessels, theories of failure Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK10. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8
Week 11 Deflection of beams and shafts: the elastic curve, slope, and displacement by integration Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK11. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 12 Statically indeterminated beams and shafts; Bulkling of columns Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK12. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7 LO8
Week 13 Bulkling of columns; summary and review Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO9
Independent study for the content of WK13. Independent study (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7 LO8

Attendance and class requirements

The UOS will be delivered online.

The lecturing will be pre-recorded and will be played during the lecturing time, while the tutors will be availabe for any questions. After that the recordings will be uploaded to Canvas. 

All students are required to attend the on-live (RE) and on-campus (CC) tutorial classes and some sessions will be recorded and uploaded to Canvas.

For the RE student, the lab will be recorded and uploaded to Canvas and then student need to watch the recording and submit the lab report, while the CC studnent will attend the lab session in-person and submit the lab report.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • R.C. Hibbeler, Mechanics of Materials (9th). Prentice Hall, 2014. 9789810694364.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. analyse problems in terms of strength and deformation in relation to the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of simple solid structures
  • LO2. understand when and why to do deformation analysis
  • LO3. model structures composed of bars and beams
  • LO4. apply boundary conditions for simple structural problems
  • LO5. understand how and why to use energy methods for structural analysis
  • LO6. perform fundamental buckling analysis
  • LO7. understand the fundamental principles of elementary solid mechanics, and basic methods for stress and deformation analysis of a simple solid structure or element
  • LO8. understand the applicability of simple stress analysis methods
  • LO9. work and communicate with others in the tutorial sessions.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The whole lecturing for the UOS will be delivered online.There are two modes (CC and RE) for the tutorial and lab classes. Due to the change of the length of the semester, we change the assessments.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.