Applications of Engineering Mechanics in Forensic Engineering

Abstract

The inclusion of examples from engineering practice in the classroom is a key to generating student interest and motivation. Ideal examples allow students to apply both concepts from course material and creative problem-solving methodology to a ‘real world’ problem. While open-ended design problems are often used as case studies in upper-level engineering courses, students in the early phases of their academic career often lack the background necessary to handle even simple design case studies with proficiency. Therefore, the practical use of design case studies is extremely limited in first two years of an engineering curriculum, and is limited to trivial exercises or closed-ended parametric optimization problems. As an alternative, case studies involving the investigation and reconstruction of accidents involving engineering systems can be employed. Such case studies allow the students to demonstrate their engineering problem-solving skills, requiring the students to propose a likely accident scenario and prove their scenario using engineering analysis and the formal scientific method. In this paper, the use of forensic engineering case studies in an introductory mechanics course sequence is outlined. Three case studies involving the use of statics, dynamics, and mechanics of materials are presented.