SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CIVL2201 STRUCTURAL MECHANICS 2014: ASSIGNMENT 1

This assignment is worth 5 % of the total mark.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Assignment is due to your tutor at the start of your tutorial (either 11 am or 2 pm) on Friday 4 April 2014.
The hard copy of the assignment should include your working and answers for question 1, plus a
printout of your email to Prof Smith from question 2. Please submit stapled sheets without any manilla
folders or slip in sheet protectors etc, and include the assignment cover sheet.
Your email to Prof Smith (Q2) should be submitted by 11 am on Friday 4 April 2014.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students are always encouraged to help each other with studying, however copying solutions from
anyone, where you have little or no academic input is not acceptable.
Any form of copying and pasting electronic data for question 2 is not acceptable. The lecturer will have
electronic copies of all submissions, so it will be very easy to detect copying.

1)

Consider the simply supported beam below. The exact dimensions and values of the loads depend
on your tutorial group. Please use the table below to determine the appropriate values for your answer. The
effects of self-weight are negligible compared to effects of the applied loading.
Draw the bending moment diagram (BMD) and shear force diagram (SFD), clearly indicating the values of V
& M at A, B, C & D. Also show the location(s) and value(s) of maximum sagging and/or hogging moment.

L1

Group
2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
2F
11A
11B
11C
11D
11E
11F

L2

L1
L2
(mm)
(mm)
a(mm) w(kN/m)
P(kN)
1000
5000
3000
1
2
1500
3000
2000
2
3
1000
4000
2000
2
2
1500
6000
4000
1
2
2000
7500
1000
1
1
1500
2500
1000
2
1
2000
5000
2000
1
2
1000
6000
2000
3
1
2500
1500
1000
3
2
2500
4000
1000
3
2
1500
3000
2000
2
2
1000
9000
1000
1
1

2)

Download the Report on the Collapse of the I-35W Highway Bridge from the Blackboard
eLearning site. At the very least, please read the glossary, executive summary, your assigned
portion and the conclusions and recommendations. Based on your tutorial group, you are required
to write a 200 - 300 word statement explaining what you have learned from reading your assigned
section. Directly quoting from the report would not be deemed suitable.

Group
2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
2F
11A
11B
11C
11D
11E
11F

Students should send an email to Prof Smith (email address below). Note different email
addresses apply for each group and the plus sign + in the address is correct.
Include a printed copy of the email in the assignment handed in to the tutor.
Prof Smith does not accept attachments of any kind and the email must be readable as
plain text.
An appropriate level of netiquette is expected in your email to Prof Smith. There is a post
of the Blackboard discussion forum outlining good practice in professional emails.
Prof Smith will send you an acknowledgment receipt by email.
Note that if you send Prof Smith more than one email he will only look at the first one
received.
Students should first send a test email to themselves or a friend to ensure that all the
conditions are met
Topic
Bridgedescription(pp514)
Damage(pp1621)
Renovations(pp2224)
Fatigue(pp5461)
Design(pp8792)
Collapse(pp119123)
Otherscenarios(pp123127)
Inspections(pp140148)
Conclusions(pp149152)
Recommendations(pp153156)
Bridgedescription(pp514)
Collapse(pp119123)

Emailaddress
profjonathonsmith+2A@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+2B@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+2C@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+2D@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+2E@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+2F@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11A@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11B@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11C@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11D@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11E@gmail.com
profjonathonsmith+11F@gmail.com

If you are a repeating student you are required to write a different summary if you have been
allocated the same topic as last year.

Question 3 applies to MPE students in CIVL5502 only. Undergraduate students in CIVL2201 do

not attempt this question. MPE students also have to do Q1 & Q2.
3)

Consider the overhanging beam below. The total length of the beam is L, but the span AB
is length kL, where k is some value less than 1.
o Sketch (without specific calculations) the bending moment diagram, comparing it to the
BMD of a standard simply supported beam of length L.
o By specifically referring to the bending moment diagram, discuss (in no more than one
page), how changing the value of k would affect the behaviour and design of the beam.

L
w

A
kL

Tim Wilkinson
Tim Wilkinson
Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering