TAM 210/11: Statics

Website: The official class website is http://courses.engr.illinois.edu/tam210/

Description: In this course, we will cover fundamental concepts that are used in every engineering discipline. We will begin with forces, moments and move towards structural analyses of frames, devices, and machines.  By the end, you will be able to solve rigid body mechanics problems that will inform the design of everything from bridges to biomedical devices.  

Big Idea: Clear knowledge of external forces (boundary conditions) is required to determine what constraints are necessary for the safe (static equilibrium) development and device of any widget.

Prerequisites: PHYS 211; credit or concurrant registration in MATH 241.

Reference texts:

• Engineering Mechanics: STATICS, 14th edition by Hibbeler.  (Not required, but would be useful)
  • Available at bookstore (electronic or hard copy)
  • Available on reserve at Grainger

Grading: The total score for the course is computed with the following weights:

TAM 210

TAM 211

Final grades: The total score s corresponds to final grades as follows.

Lectures: Prompt and regular attendance at lectures is required to obtain credit for iClicker content.

iClickers: Short quizzes are conducted during lectures using iClickers. An iClicker remote can be purchased from any of the bookstores, and must be registered on Compass, under the tab "Register i>clicker". You need to register your iClicker by the end of Week 2, when the iClicker roster will be synced for the last time. The first iClicker use for credit will take place in Week 2 of the semester.

Quizzes: These quizzes are designed to assess your problem solving skills. You will not be allowed to use notes, textbooks or any electronic devices (including calculators). Solutions will not be posted. Quiz dates are listed in the schedule (schedule may change during the semester). Your lowest Computer Based Test score will be dropped. This drop should be reserved for unexpected occurrences such as sickness or a family emergency.

Instructions for students:

 

1. Firefox and Chrome are both supported web browsers. Other browsers may not be supported yet.

 

2. Click “Add a course” and then click “TAM 210/211: Statics”

 

3. Click on “Quiz #1” (click anywhere in the large red box)

 

4. Click on the green button for the time-slot when you want to take Quiz #1

 

5. After you have signed up for a quiz, you can cancel or change your reservation by clicking on the green reservation area. You can make changes to your reservation up to 1 hour before your scheduled quiz time.

 

6. DRES students requiring extra time should sign up for a time-slot that has enough time remaining after it. For example, if you need 1.5X or 2X time, then don’t sign up for the last time-slot of the day, but any earlier time-slot is ok. If you need 3X time then don’t sign up for either of the last two time-slots of the day, but any of the early time-slots are ok. When you arrive at the CBTF, inform the proctor that you are a DRES student and you will be accommodated in a separate, reduced-distraction room.

The computer-based testing facility is in 57 Grainger Engineering Libarary; in the basement on the east side of the building.

Discussion sections: Discussion sections start in Week 1 of semester, with the schedule below.  Please check Banner for your assigned discussion section.

You will be working in groups throughout the semester.  Groups will be formed in week 2 of class using an online system called CATME.  Help for filling out the CATME survey is here.

Written assignments

Online homeworks: Weekly online homeworks will be assigned in two flavors: MasteringEngineering and PrairieLearn. A complete schedule of due dates for both types of homework can be found on the schedule.

1. Mastering Engineering
   • The schedule of HW due dates in on the MasteringEngineering website and the course schedule.
   • Late submissions will be penalized by 20$\%$ over each day late. 
   • To encourage you to work through the problems and to obtain the correct solution, you may revise and resubmit your solutions numerous times until the due date. You can rework completed items after the due date. This work will not be saved and will not affect your grades. Solutions will not be posted.

   Instructions for registration on the Mastering Engineering website can be found here.

   Trouble-shooting tips for Mastering Engineering website can be found here and here.

   You should consider one of the following options to obtain access to MasteringEngineering:

   Please follow the steps below to start using MasteringEngineering:

   • Purchase custom textbook from the bookstore: includes MasteringEngineering + eText + printed custom version of the textbook
   • Purchase MasteringEngineering + eText
   • Purchase MasteringEngineering only  - in this case, you may choose to use your lecture notes for text reference, borrow a book from a friend or library, or buy any other used textbook
2. PrairieLearn These homework assignments will be available from the website. Deadlines are available in the schedule page.

Final Exam: 

TAM 210 - Nov 9 - 12 in CBTF

TAM 211 - TBD

Office hours:

Prof. Chang: Mon/Wed, 9:00 - 10:00, 220H MEB

Daily office hours are held in Grainger 429 according to the schedule below. Office hours start in Week 2 (Sunday, September 3) of the semester.

Online forum (Piazza): This class uses Piazza for ALL communications between the instructor, TAs, CAs, and students. Students should not communicate with instructors via email, unless there is an emergency.

Students are encouraged to post public messages on Piazza ("Post to Entire Class"). However, you can use the private feature by posting a message visible only to the Instructors. In this last case, you must type "Instructors", instead of sending a message to a specific TA or instructor.

TAs and CAs are scheduled to be checking Piazza on the following days:

The use of Piazza should not replace the office hours time, since some questions cannot be fully addressed via an online forum.