Course syllabus

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MMA169 Structural engineering study period 2 HT23 (7.5 hp)

The course is offered by the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, the Division of Marine Technology

Contact details

Examiner and lecturer: Professor Jonas Ringsberg (JR)

Guest lecturers

  • Associate Professor Erland Johnson (EJ) and Dr Michele Godio (MG): RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
  • SIGMA Energy and Marine
  • Stena teknik AB
  • Waves4Power AB
  • Novige AB

Tutor and assignments:  PhD student Xinyuan Shao (XS)

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to give professional knowledge of structural characteristics of (large) structures made of metallic materials, how to carry out an analysis of their strength using limit-state criteria, uncertainty analysis, and reliability analysis using probabilistic methods. The theory is general, while the application examples are mainly on marine and civil engineering-related structures.

The course is highly relevant for students on the International Programme in Mobility Engineering. It is also very relevant for students in the International Master's programme in Civil Engineering, and all students who educate themselves to become structural engineers.

Schedule

The course is taught 3 days every week on Chalmers Campus Johanneberg (see TimeEdit). Because of reconstruction work in many buildings on the campus, the lecture rooms will vary between the study weeks. Please check for every lecture which lecture room Chalmers Room Schedule Unit has given us.

  • Tuesdays (room ML16/SB-L216): 08.00-11.45
  • Wednesdays (room ML16/SB-L200/SB-L400): 08.00-11.45
  • Fridays (room ML15/SB-L227/SB-L316/SB-S215): 08.00-11.45

Link to Detailed course schedule.xls.

Link to MMA169 Course syllabus.pdf.

Course literature

  • J.W. Ringsberg (2022). Structural Engineering. Division of Marine Technology, Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. A pdf-file is available here. The compendium can be bought in Chalmers STORE (Johanneberg campus).
  • J.K. Paik (2020). Advanced Structural Safety Studies - With Extreme Conditions and Accidents. Springer, Singapore. A link to the E-book is available here.
  • J.W. Ringsberg, A. Kuznecovs and Z. Li (2023). Tutorial compendium - structural engineering. Division of Marine Technology, Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. A pdf-file is available here.

Additional files will be available on the course's CANVAS page, e.g., handouts, relevant journal papers, guidelines, design rules from various societies and authorities.

Course design

The student will gain professional competence how to systematically solve general problems which concern the structural integrity of structures where, e.g., limit-state-based criteria are used as a basis in the design philosophy.

The contents and learning outcomes address at least five of UN’s Global Sustainable Goals (SDGs): #9 - Industries, innovation and infrastructure, #11 - Sustainable cities and communities, #12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, #14 - Life below water, and #17 - Partnerships for the goals.

Lectures present theory with reference to the course literature in the course information and schedule. Tutorials refer to the tutorial compendium where the student practice how to analyse and solve both simplistic and complex problems. Recommended homework exercises are all problems in the example compendium that have not been solved during the tutorials. The course has three mandatory assignments which are solved in groups of 4 to 5 students. The assignments can be downloaded from CANVAS, see "Assignments 1 to 3".

The course is divided into four parts, where the theory is applied in three mandatory assignments (solved in groups) that have clear connections to realistic cases and real problems.

  • Standards and guidelines for dimensioning and structural analysis using limit-state design criteria
    • Definition of four limit state criteria
    • Identification of and analysis of design loads
    • Sustainability aspects
  • Sustainable engineering and design solutions
    • Life cycle analysis
    • Maintenance strategies: factors that affect long-term usage/safety of a structure
    • Innovative design solutions, introduction to lightweight design principles and optimization procedures
  • Advanced structural analysis based on engineering beam theory
    • Normal stresses/strains due to axial loading conditions.
    • Normal stresses/strains due to biaxial bending conditions (Navier's theory).
    • Normal stresses/strains due to torsion (Vlasov theory).
    • Shear stresses/strains due to biaxial bending conditions.
    • Shear stresses/strains due to general torsion.
    • Calculation of effective flange and how to use it in structural analysis.
  • Reliability analysis by probabilistic (engineering) methods
    • Uncertainty analysis
    • Statistical distributions of stochastic variables
    • First-order and second-order reliability methods (FORM and SORM)

Changes made since the last occasion

Some tutorials and assignments have been updated since the course year 2022.

Learning objectives and syllabus

After completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  • identify and discuss dimensioning loads acting on a structure which are crucial for its design with regards to its strength and “functionality”,
  • have an understanding of where to find and how to use standards and guidelines for dimensioning and structural analysis using limit-state design criteria,
  • discuss how limit-state design as a design philosophy contributes to sustainable engineering to ensure safety for humans, the environment and property,
  • carry out full strength analyses of large and complex structures made of metallic materials,
  • carry out an uncertainty analysis of a target function (or property) considering uncertainties in external loads, material properties and dimensions of a structure,
  • discuss how factors that negatively affect the long-term usage/safety of a structure, such as corrosion and fatigue damage accumulation, need to be included implicitly in the design or the maintenance of a structure,
  • establish and carry out a reliability analysis using a first- or second-order reliability method, and
  • critically evaluate and compare various design concepts with respect to reliability and limit state aspects. 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

Examination form

The examination of the course consists of two parts:

  • 3 mandatory assignments, including mandatory presence on Tutorial 1 (week 44), Assignment 1 (week 45) and the Seminar (week 50); see the “Detailed course schedule” section. Note: students who may miss any of these occasions will be given an extra assignment (for each missed occasion) that should be handed in as an individual report.
  • 6 weekly tests offered only during the study period the course is taught

Each weekly test has a theory part and a problem-solving part. The maximum score on one weekly test is 20p and the requirement for passing one weekly test is 10p.

To pass the course, all 3 assignments must be approved, and the student must pass at least 5 of the 6 weekly tests. The final grade is determined by the total performance on the 5 passed weekly tests which have the highest score:

  • Fail: <50p
  • Grade 3: 50p – <70p
  • Grade 4: 70p – <85p
  • Grade 5: 85p – 100p

The mandatory seminar will be arranged at the end of the course. On the seminar, each assignment group will present one of its assignments (the examiner decides which one). The purpose is to develop/examine the student’s skills with regards to how to present, motivate, discuss and defend assumptions and results from engineering analysis work. Each student’s performance will be assessed as “pass” or “fail”. Students who fail due to, e.g., lack of preparations or engagement, will be notified that they did not pass the seminar. They will be offered a second opportunity to present to a smaller group on an extra seminar where they must present one of the problems solved on a tutorial, or, one of the homework problems.

Note: no written exam will be offered during the ordinary written exam period for the course. For students who do not pass the weekly tests, a written exam is offered at the next opportunity for a retake exam of the course. The results from the weekly tests are not valid in any way on the retake exams. They will have one theory and one problem-solving part. 

Course summary:

Date Details Due