CS382:Structural-outline

<Structural Modeling>

Overview

• This unit will most likely span two weeks, and will explore the significance a basic concepts surrounding structural modeling. We will teach the students how the physical properties of structures in the real world can be represented inside computational systems. Bridges are a good example of structures that must be evaluated extensively before they are physically built. Additionally, there are a few programs (Engineering oriented games) that provide interfaces for both building the virtual bridges and testing their weight capacity under variable loads.

Background Reading for Teachers and TAs

• http://www.apeg.bc.ca/services/branches/documents/pr/Bridge_Engineering_Principles.pdf
  • Goes over some of the basic principles of bridge-building.

• http://www.in.gov/indot/files/bridge_chapter_01.pdf
  • "Bridge building for dummies." Provides an explanation of the duties of Bridge Technicians and defines a number of terms associated with bridge constructions, as well as explaining some of the more common failure points and why they're failure points. This is perhaps unnecessary if the teachers and the TAs possessed a solid knowledge of the subject, but could be extremely helpful otherwise.

Reading Assignments for Students

• http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm
  • This would make a good read for the beginning of the unit, introducing students to a number of different basic and advanced bridge types, and various tidbits of information about them. If so desired, this could be condensed into a handout.

Reference Material

• http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSSOKNEXBridges-Architecture510.htm
  • We've decided to use Pasco for the lab, but it's possible that some of the techniques / materials that are covered in here may be helpful in designing a lecture or a lab.

• http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/2001/5/01.05.04.x.html
  • Lesson plan for younger students. Could be useful for building a lecture for an audience with little to no background.

Lecture Notes

Lecture 1:

• Review key concepts from the units on static and dynamic models, remind people of the difference, and how the two types of models work in conjunction.

• Explain the various types of bridges introduced in Bridge Basics

• Explain why how modeling structures such as bridges is different than earlier examples of fire, etc, and how certain key aspects of the procedure and underlying theory are the same
  • Make sure to touch on why it's important to make sure that the construction of structures (such as bridges) is sound virtually rather than gamble on a strong construction in the field.
    • When I (Dylan) took POCO / Software Engineering, I recall a story that Charlie told about why someone he knew (I think it was his father) believed that software engineers, like other professions, should be required to get a governmental license to practice software engineering, due to the fact that now software is important enough and used widely enough that the failure of such can cause a loss of life. I believe that this story is very relevant to this point in the lecture.

• Prepare the class to do the lab. If they're going to use bridge builder, this section could be a demonstration of the software and features.

Lecture 2:

• Still working on this in the context of cutting out the "subunit" on Rigid Body Dynamics. We're interested in folding this concept into the unit if we can find good material, not in creating a new stand-alone unit that focuses on rigid body dynamics.

Lecture 3:

• Review Lab 1

• Note that we are aiming to fill 2 weeks of material with this unit. This means we will need two additional lectures.
  • Continue working with the bridge framework, potentially expanding our model into 3 dimensions

• Prepare students to complete lab 2.

Lecture 4:

• Still working on this in the context of cutting out a "subunit" on rigid body dynamics.

Lab

The Lab activity will consist of two sessions.

• The first session will involve constructing simulated bridges and testing those bridges using one of the fine programs listed below.
• The second session will involve physically modeling (replicating the simulated designs created the week before. This might work best as a group project.

• Good plan

Software

Bridge Builder

• 

  Bridge Builder
  Simple, effective, fun bridge building/simulation game. Illustrates structural stress with colors. Might be too simplistic, because it only simulates in 2 Dimensions. Additionally, the software appears to be non-free, and although there is a free 'demo' download for mac/windows. Apparently the Bridge Builder demo is all that exists here. There is no full version.

• The program is organized into 'Levels' ranging in difficulty from 'Level 1' and 'Level 15.' This could translate to a convient lab format, where we can assign a certain number of levels. There are some good videos on youTube that demonstrate the increased challenge of each subsequent level.
  • youTube:Level 6 - 14 in Bridge Builder

Bridge Construction Set

• 

  Bridge Construction Set
  Another bridge-building computer game. This game offers 3-D construction. It also costs $19.99. But, a demo is available for mac

• This program is really neat, the animations are fairly detailed, and there are keyboard controls to move the camera around the simulated world. The game uses 'Levels' of increasing complexity, and even the demo has 5 levels. Completing all five demo levels could be enough for a single lab. Additionally, if the class is building virtual bridges in three dimensions, the lab could involve first building the bridge designs in Bridge Construction Set and then next week building a subset of those bridges using K'nex.

Open Dynamics Engine

• An open source physics engine used in many applications. This came from a search on physics engines, which seem to be heavily related to modeling bridges and other structures. There might be some pedagogically useful aspects of this software, however delving to deep into the intracacies of linear algebra and vector multiplication might seriously confuse and frustrate many of the non-math people. Note that it may be possible to implement some pre-built objects / functions to make the software more accessible to newbies.

Bill of Materials

• The tactile, hands-on aspect of building real models would be a good way to make the labs fun, while also teaching the students to associate the 3-Dimensional (or 2 Dimensional, in the case of 'Bridge Builder') image of the bridge inside the computer to the physical, very real concept of a model. Building some of the models build inside the program would informally demonstrate the concept of verification of the computational model built in the previous week's lab period.
  • Using the Pasco Structures System would be a durable, fairly cost-effective solution here. Pasco Structure System. Costing around $200, this might not be our cheapest option, but the components are intended to be used in a classroom setting, and might have useful documentation geared specifically towards lab activities.
    • Charlie found Pasco "Bridge Kits" that were cheaper, in the neighborhood of $40. We should figure out where to order these (possibly in bulk) online.

Evaluation

CRS Questions

• After an explanation of some of the concepts in the earlier lectures, have an image comparison of 2 bridges made in Bridgebuilder, ask students which of the two would be stronger.

• Is this model static or dynamic?

• Which is stronger; an arc or a triangle? I wonder, would they have learned this through readings, or through empirical testing? Do the bridge programs allow arcs or just straight segments?
  • They allow arcs to be constructed out of straight segments.

Otherwise, good stuff.

Quiz Questions

• A question.

<Structural Modeling> Metadata

This section contains information about the goals of the unit and the approaches taken to meet them.

Scheduling

This unit would be well suited for early in the semester. The basic concepts of bridge design are fairly straightforward, and labs are game-oriented.

• This is good material, and the bridge building effectively shows how the mining of data can be used to make models which then help the creation of new physical manifestations-- but I think this unit needs to narrow down on exactly what it wants to teach. Will this lab have "hard modes" for extra credit? A resolution of the unit's intent will make the lecture outline a lot more coherent. Ditto
• Also, the teacher/TAs will have to make sure they got this material under their belt when this lab rolls around, or, as you mentioned above, there will have to be some "reassuring," and we don't want the students to lose faith!
  • While this is true, that's something that the Teachers / TAs will have to worry about, not us.

Concepts and Techniques

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General Education Alignment

• Analytical Reasoning Requirement
  • Abstract Reasoning - From the [Catalog Description] Courses qualifying for credit in Abstract Reasoning typically share these characteristics:
    • They focus substantially on properties of classes of abstract models and operations that apply to them.
      • Sort of. This lab is more concrete. This unit will go early in the semester so it will apply some of the more abstract ideas presented earlier.
    • They provide experience in generalizing from specific instances to appropriate classes of abstract models.
      • Yes, because we're showing how structures and bridges, specifically apply to the abstract model parameters described in the What is a static model and what is a dynamic model units.
    • They provide experience in solving concrete problems by a process of abstraction and manipulation at the abstract level. Typically this experience is provided by word problems which require students to formalize real-world problems in abstract terms, to solve them with techniques that apply at that abstract level, and to convert the solutions back into concrete results.
      • Eh, again, this unit isn't geared towards this as far as I can see.
  • Quantitative Reasoning - From the [Catalog Description] General Education courses in Quantitative Reasoning foster students' abilities to generate, interpret and evaluate quantitative information. In particular, Quantitative Reasoning courses help students develop abilities in such areas as:
    • Using and interpreting formulas, graphs and tables.
      • not really. or maybe... If we use the pasco solution, the beam strength will be documented, and the students can perform basic calculations to figure out whether beams will break under a certain load.
    • Representing mathematical ideas symbolically, graphically, numerically and verbally.
      • The models provide a framework for visualizing physical (mathematical) constraints.
    • Using mathematical and statistical ideas to solve problems in a variety of contexts.
      • This is one context where we're using mathematical and statistical ideas.
    • Using simple models such as linear dependence, exponential growth or decay, or normal distribution.
      • Not really.
    • Understanding basic statistical ideas such as averages, variability and probability.
      • Yes, because the traversal (where we test the bridge by simulating a car driving over it) is a deterministic process. Maybe we could introduce the difference between probabilistic and deterministic.
    • Making estimates and checking the reasonableness of answers.
      • Yes, because students will try to build different types of bridges and determine the 'reasonableness' of their solutions by the simulated test outcome.
    • Recognizing the limitations of mathematical and statistical methods.
      • yes, because the physical model will not account for all variables, such as wind.
• Scientific Inquiry Requirement - From the [Catalog Description] Scientific inquiry:
  • Develops students' understanding of the natural world.
    • Modeling physical structures is important because the natural world is comprised of physical structures.
  • Strengthens students' knowledge of the scientific way of knowing — the use of systematic observation and experimentation to develop theories and test hypotheses.
    • The students will determine the most appropriate method to build a simulated bridge through both lecture content and trial and error. They will test their models by building physical models of their virtual structures.
  • Emphasizes and provides first-hand experience with both theoretical analysis and the collection of empirical data.
    • The students collect the empirical data by synthesizing lecture content and trial and error. They (potentially in groups) will each devise different models to solve the same problem.

Scaffolded Learning

• The scaffold pedagogy emphasizes the importance of introducing new ideas and concepts by explaining how those new concepts fit into the context of the material previously covered. Information is contextualized as pedagogical dependencies.

• Our bridge unit is scaffolded in the sense that as students learn about the structural intricacies of bridge building, they will be able to construct more effective models. The high-level view of bridge types will allow the students to implement these qualities into the bridges they build in the simulator. Once the simulation is complete, the students will build a physical model under the expectations that the K'nex will behave as expected given the test results show by the computer program. Each lecture/lab activity depends on previous class work.

Inquiry Based Learning

• I'm not entirely clear on what goes here. Don't the Inquiry Based Learning requirements cover this?