Physical Properties And Problem Solving In Engineering: Broadening The Effectiveness Of Traditional Engineering Courses

The continuity of courses related to mechanics and mechanical behavior of materials is based on a sequence that often includes an introduction of forces in a physics course based on mechanics, followed by a course on statics (and dynamics), a course on mechanics (or strength) of materials and then a course in mechanical behavior of materials. For students in materials engineering the course on mechanical behavior of materials takes place during undergraduate studies, for students in other engineering disciplines this course may be taken as a senior elective or in graduate school. The foundations leading to this upper level coursework have remained essentially unchanged for the last thirty to forty years. Although efforts have been made to evaluate and improve courses in statics, mechanics and mechanical behavior or materials, the coordination of these pieces at most universities is often nonexistent. This paper is intended to offer perspective on the continuity of this theme and the potential for broadening the foundation of this sequence to include mathematical and computational treatments throughout the curriculum that complement the math we require of undergraduate engineers. At the same time, the opportunities to introduce a broader range of tensor properties and introductory design concepts can coexist. Such an alternative path has been proposed as part of the new Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) program at Purdue University and preliminary discussion of progress in its implementation will be described. Introduction: The Multidisciplinary Engineering Curriculum The reason for initiating this new course at Purdue is based on fulfilling the needs for students in the new Multidisciplinary Engineering (MDE) located in the new Purdue School of Engineering Education (ENE), which was founded in 2004. The ENE program is Purdue's answer to a need to better understand the learning and teaching of engineering. 1 The MDE program is intended to build upon the success of the Purdue Interdisciplinary Engineering (IDE) program that has enabled students to earn a degree at the interface between different engineering disciplines or engineering and other disciplines by providing a common multidisciplinary foundation for students who will then pursue a individually tailored upper level program of study to earn a P ge 11993.3 Bachelor of Science in Engineering. The flexibility offered by the MDE program will enable responsiveness to emerging technologies that lie between traditional disciplines. For this program to be successful foundational coursework that provides problem solving context while substituting for existing engineering courses such as statics and dynamics as well as physics content such as electricity and optics that have historically required mostly beginning-college math skills for problems solving. The first MDE course (MDE 1) will be developed to present physical properties of matter as they interact within engineering systems and is entitled Physical Properties in Engineering Systems. The course includes discussions of all classes of properties — including electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal and mechanical — presented through matrix and tensor mathematics to reinforce the programming or math tool skills learned at the freshman and sophomore level. The expectations for this course include providing a supportive environment for the independent and diverse students who choose to pursue non-traditional degree paths and a broad engineering foundation for the widest possible range of study within engineering and science. Building on the Science, Mathematics and Computational Background of Students Although statics and dynamics are not required for all engineering disciplines (e.g. chemical engineering and electrical engineering), it is the course that faculty in mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and many other fields identify as the first experience for students to understand the ability to engage in engineering problem solving. In the MDE curriculum the MDE 1 course is targeted to contain just enough problem-solving content from statics, dynamics and introductory mechanics, but also some content related to electrical, thermal, magnetic and optical properties of materials. The test we will employ in terms of satisfying the just enough condition is to fulfill the expectations required to enter a materials science and engineering (MSE) based mechanical properties of materials course of the type often taken by undergraduate MSE students or beginning graduate students in mechanical engineering or to take a mechanic engineeringbased course in materials selection for mechanical design. Typical textbooks for the MSE course in mechanical behavior of materials include those by Dowling, 2 Hertzberg, 3 Courtney, 4 Dieter, 5 Green 6 and Bowman. 7 The premier book on materials selection is the one by Ashby. 8