Fundamental Engineering Concepts Research Articles

Multi-Objective Optimization and Tradespace Analysis of a Mechanical Clock Movement Design

Abstract Pendulum clocks were the prevalent time keeping standard for centuries to regulate commerce and public activities. These mechanical movements were the most accurate timekeepers globally until replaced by electric clocks. Although mainly used for decorative purposes today, the pendulum clock's working principles and mechanical behavior can serve to demonstrate fundamental science and engineering concepts. The tradeoff between a clock's quality factor, pendulum properties, and period can best be explored with multiple objective optimization and tradespace analysis methods. In this project, a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA-II) and a Multi-Objective Simulated Annealing (MOSA) optimization approaches are applied to evaluate a Graham escapement street clock for pendulum mass and time accuracy with a range of the period. These clock designs vary the pendulum length, pendulum bob radius, and bob thickness. Horological concepts are used to calculate the overall performance and general utility. The numerical results show a 0.7% increase in the quality factor, and a 0.56% reduction in the mass, while maintaining the designed period by modifying the clock parameters. More importantly, these changes can provide material cost savings in a mass production scenario. Overall, the study highlights the tradeoff designer engineers have considered for decades which can now be visualized using computer tools for greater insight.

FIRST YEAR COMMUNICATIONS CLASSES: APPLICATIONS OF CRITICAL EVALUATION OF INFORMATION IN A PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING FRAMEWORK

Increasingly in an information-centric society, educational institutions must navigate ideological and pragmatic approaches to teaching how and where students find information used to make decisions. Engineering students’ information-seeking needs must also navigate a variety of competing sources of information—their professors, the library, their peers, family and friends, and industry professionals. Undergraduate engineering students are faced with learning both fundamental engineering concepts and soft skills such as information seeking and communication. One approach to teaching information seeking and communication could beProblem-Based Learning (PBL), which is a teaching method focused on having groups use open-ended realworld problems as a context for learning new concepts. This paper will provide a summary of the current scope of literature around PBL, implications for sustainability, andcontextualize it within the multidisciplinary context of library-focused interventions in first year communications courses.

Engineering aspects of FlowNMR spectroscopy setups for online analysis of solution-phase processes

In this article we review some fundamental engineering concepts and evaluate components and materials required to assemble and operate safe and effective FlowNMR setups that reliably generate meaningful results.

Pedagogical research on understanding and misconceptions of system design

Systems engineering is a life cycle approach to engineering design: the integration of numerous technical and non-technical disciplines in the development of new products, systems and services (Sage, 1992). While there is clear evidence of the expansion of SE as a field of engineering, there is surprisingly little research on core concepts and common misconceptions particular to the field. A recent review of literature found no systematic studies of engineering students' conceptual understanding of fundamental engineering concepts - including those pertaining to SE - despite much research on important concepts in the sciences (Streveler et al., 2004). This paper is based on authors' research to identify and define the foundational concepts of system design. This paper proposes five key concepts of systems engineering, namely, context, interdisciplinarity, value, trade-offs, and abstraction (Jain and Chandrasekaran, 2008). The understanding of these concepts was tested on students to identify their misconceptions based on intuitively formed understandings and misinformation learned elsewhere.

DESIGNING AN UNDERGRADUATE FOOD PROCESSING LABORATORY FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO

Food processing is one of the largest industries in the world, making it an attractive field for chemical engineering students to pursue. Currently, there is no food processing laboratory at the University of Waterloo. Consequently, students do not have an opportunity to link fundamental chemical and biological engineering concepts germane to the food processing industry to tangible applications. The solution is to design a versatile undergraduate food processing laboratory to enhance the engineering undergraduate experience. The laboratory would have three unit operations ubiquitous to the food industry. The three selected unit operations were spray drying, micro-encapsulation, and extrusion. Suppliers and/or providers of processing equipment, raw ingredients, and pest control services were identified with the consideration of health and safety recommendations. The food processing laboratory layout was created with consideration of minimizing workplace hazards and the risk of food contamination. The cost of running the laboratory for the first year along with equipment/materials procurement was estimated to be around $1 million CAD in an existing room at the university. By providing a food processing laboratory, chemical engineering students would be supplied a contained learning environment along with the incentive to consume their manufactured products.

Performance Measures For Managing UrbanTraffic Signal Systems

Most urban traffic control systems go through a rather rigorous design phase based upon a set of fixed design volumes that do not capture the stochastic variation in traffic due to weather, incidents, special events, and shifting demand patterns. Once these systems are built, their operation is relatively open loop, with public feedback (complaints) often the primary feedback for assessing operations and initiating changes. This paper describes procedures and case studies that illustrate how fundamental traffic engineering concepts can be integrated with traffic signal system detection and controller status information to provide real time performance measures. These performance measures characterize the operation of a traffic signal system and identify operation improvement opportunities. Several example performance measure graphics are provided to illustrate how these tools can be used for making operations decisions, evaluating field deployments, and preparing reports for decision makers. The paper concludes by discussing how these performance measures can be extended to include other surface transportation modes, particularly pedestrians, railroads, and transit.

Does Motivation Affect Students’ Understanding and Performance in Engineering Statics?

Students’ understanding of fundamental engineering concepts is not necessarily reflected by their good academic performance. The difficulty that many students face in Statics has often affected their course performance and other follow-on courses, consequently, disheartening them from continuing with their engineering programme. The findings of this study indicate that most students attributed their performance in Statics to their own effort and self-efficacy. This supports Bandura's claim that students’ motivation influence their achievement. Consistent with the cognitive theory, students are perceived to have more responsibility for their own learning. Does motivation actually make the students succeed in Statics? This paper presents the findings from four case studies in the public universities in Malaysia.

Summer Faculty Immersion: A Program with the Potential to Transform Engineering Education


 
 
 This paper describes a faculty development program that was recently funded by the U.S. Department of Education as part of a $4.34 million Title V, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) - STEM grant to Universidad del Turabo in Puerto Rico. The overarching goal of the grant is to increase the graduation rates of Hispanic engineering students. The specific objective of the faculty development program is to ignite innovative teaching in engineering and physics courses to assist students in achieving deep learning of fundamental engineering concepts. The summer program was proposed as a solution to recent research findings that show that, although innovative teaching methodologies are available and well researched, adoption by faculty is rare because it exceeds substantially the normal course preparation. The summer session will start with a two- day workshop on inductive learning methodologies by a highly esteemed researcher and innovator in engineering education. It will be followed by a one-month immersion to continue studying additional learning methodologies, and to prepare the innovations for two courses per faculty member. The effects of the innovations will be assessed to determine the efficacy of the proposed methodology. Details of the summer faculty immersion program, as well as the assessment plan, are presented in the paper. Additional features of the grant, which complement the summer immersion program, are also presented.
 
 

Special Section on Continuing Advances for Incorporating Sustainability into Engineering Education

We are very pleased to be able to present this special section as a supplement to the articles published in the April 2011 special issue of the Journal on sustainability in civil and environmental engineering education. We look forward to future submissions based on these works, and additional research on sustainability in higher education, both in civil and environmental engineering and integrated with other disciplines. Sustainability is typically defined as considering the triple bottom line (economics, environment, and society) of a system, policy, resource, or development with additional consideration of these issues for present and future generations. Therefore, it is important to also include the social aspects of sustainability into engineering courses. The first technical paper, “Incorporating the Social Dimension of Sustainability into Civil Engineering Education,” by Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez and Leidy Klotz, presents a series of activities that may be used to introduce students to four social aspects of design and construction: corporate social responsibility, community involvement, safety, and social design (designs considering the needs of the workers and end users). In addition to lectures on various subtopics, the techniques include student involvement and assessment and the use of concept mapping to consider interrelationships between stakeholders and the various aspects of the project. In a similar fashion, Stuart Batterman, Antonio G. Martins, Carlos H. Antunes, Fausto Freire, and Maunel C. Gameiro in their technical paper, “Development and Application of Competencies for Graduate Programs in Energy and Sustainability,” present competencies which might form the framework for sustainability courses focusing on energy issues. These courses are divided into two themes, one related to buildings and development and the other to energy systems. Educational competencies that consider the triple bottom line and resource needs and technologies are then mapped into listings of suggested curricula. The two forums provide two different examples of methods by which sustainability can successfully enhance civil and environmental engineering education. In “Teaching Systems Thinking and Biomimicry to Civil Engineering Students,” Corey Cattano, Tina Nikou, and Leidy Klotz provide a framework for introducing two important technical concepts in sustainability—systems thinking and biomimicry—into a construction course. This is done by use of topic modules and then assessment by a plan-do-check-act cycle, whereas Eric A. Seagren and Allen P. Davis, in “Integrating Fundamental Science and Engineering Concepts into a Civil Engineering Sustainability Course,” use sustainability as an overlay to integrate the teaching of several engineering fundamentals of chemistry, thermodynamics, and biology in an introductory course. These articles, and those published in the April 2011 special issue, provide templates for incorporating sustainability concepts into engineering education in a variety of manners, therefore providing options for choosing those that might best fit into the curricula, foci, goals, and traditions at various institutions of higher education. They range from modules to courses to full curricula remapping at various stages in an engineer’s schooling. In addition, various assessment methodologies and suggestions for continual improvement are also provided in many of the articles. These are important tools for future adaptation for enhanced sustainability in this rapidly changing technological world.

Integrating Fundamental Science and Engineering Concepts into a Civil Engineering Sustainability Course

Integrating Fundamental Science and Engineering Concepts into a Civil Engineering Sustainability Course

Outcome-Oriented Performance Measures for Management of Signalized Arterial Capacity

The design of traffic signal timing plans is typically based on a single day of manual turning movement counts. Once systems are constructed and settings are implemented, they receive maintenance on fixed schedules of a number of years. Public feedback (e.g., phone calls) is in many cases the primary channel by which an agency obtains feedback about the system. System assessment is often conducted by collecting a new small data sample and repeating the design process. One common and frustrating result is that the same settings are frequently recommended by the design software even when problems are known to exist. This paper illustrates how fundamental traffic engineering concepts can be integrated with traffic signal system detection and controller status information to provide outcome-based measures of arterial-system performance. These outcome-based measures of performance characterize the operation of a signal system and provide a data set that can be used to identify and prioritize opportunities for operational improvements in the system. A consistent set of performance measures used across a signal network would affect traffic signal operations at two distinct levels. At the regional or district level, it would provide a continuously updated list of problem areas with greater accuracy than telephone reports. At the agency jurisdiction level, it would provide quantitative data for prioritizing resources across multiple districts and by time of day.

Active-learning activities that introduce students to software engineering fundamentals

First-year students select a program of study for a variety of reasons. As a result, many students are not familiar with the basic concepts and career opportunities that exist. At the Rochester Institute of Technology, first-year Software Engineering students participate in a seminar to orient them to the discipline. The course has been redesigned from a lecture format to an active-learning format. The new format uses a set of hands-on and community-building activities to demonstrate basic concepts, with little programming. The more engaging format enables students to explore concepts, gain experience working in teams, and have ownership over their own learning. The seminar structure and activities will be discussed, along with an analysis of student feedback, and lessons learned. The value of the seminar's approach can be used to introduce computing students to fundamental software engineering concepts in a variety of contexts.

Pollution Management in the Twentieth Century

A literature review is presented on the evolution of water pollution management and its impact on land pollution from 1900 to 2000 within an hypothesis of whether we could have done more, sooner. Stream pollution science in the context of the fundamental sanitary engineering concepts of reasonable use and assimilative capacity is examined in light of evolving regulatory frameworks from the early 1900s, when regulation and standards were mostly lacking, to the zero discharge goals and comprehensive federal command/control regulations of the late Twentieth Century. Details on the interplay through the years of improving environmental analytical chemistry, environmental quality definitions, wastewater control technologies, municipal-industrial wastewater differences, and regulatory will/ diligence are provided. The pressure exerted on land and groundwater pollution as a result of water pollution control is emphasized. The author's conclusion is that more effective, faster pollution control evolution would have been difficult.

Introducing Middle School Students to Engineering Principles Using Educational Bridge Design Software

AbstractIn an effort to motivate middle school students to consider future careers in engineering, an educational outreach program was developed and implemented during National Engineers Week. The outreach program concentrated on bridge engineering and was presented within one day to the entire eighth grade student population of the local public school system. The program began with a presentation on careers in engineering with a particular emphasis placed on bridge engineering. Fundamental engineering concepts used in bridge design were then explained. The students used these concepts to design a single‐span truss bridge using an educational bridge design software program. Finally, a bridge design competition was held in which the students attempted to optimize the design of their bridge.

Bridge Engineering for the Elementary Grades

AbstractA one hour presentation was developed to get elementary school students interested in engineering. The presentation begins with the students building a six feet long, structurally sound bridge which they can crawl across. A pictorial presentation helps them learn to identify some of the different types of bridges: truss, stone arch, steel arch, concrete girder, cable‐stayed, and suspension. They are introduced to the fundamental engineering concepts of tension and compression. These concepts are reinforced by demonstrating that if a tension member is replaced with a chain then the bridge is still strong, but if a compression member is replaced with a chain the bridge will collapse. The presentation was integrated into the engineering curriculum by having senior design groups develop new bridge concepts and introduce new ideas into the presentation. This project provides a good senior design problem and helps keep the program fresh and interesting for the grade school children.

A Six-Legged Walking Robot as a Senior Design Project

In this article the design of a six-legged walking robot as a mechanical engineering senior design project is presented. The design criterion was to use a minimum number of motors for leg motion while the robot would have the ability to turn when it ran into an object. The project proved to be a good example for the application of fundamental mechanical engineering concepts such as kinematics, statics and machine design. This project was funded by the Faculty Research Committee of the University of the Pacific.

Engineering Science-Led Computer-Aided Design: A Project-Based Approach

A project-based learning approach has been developed in which a commercial CAD package is employed to analyse and redesign a shaft and bearing system which is known to fail in service after short term use. The principal aim of the project is to emphasize the importance of the appraisal of design software packages. The students are required to apply their knowledge and understanding of the relevant engineering science to check and validate the results predicted by the software package. The project is therefore used to emphasize the importance of questioning the output obtained from software packages, and the need for validation. In addition, the project aims to introduce students to the power of the microcomputer in quickly carrying out the many iterative analyses that are often required at the detailed stages of design. The importance of project-based design work in enabling the acquisition of skills, and the development of understanding of fundamental engineering concepts is discussed and an approach is proposed for enabling integration of design teaching with first- and second-year engineering science courses within an engineering degree course. The approach presented seeks to exploit student interest and enthusiasm for engineering project work in order to aid, and enhance the development of understanding for a particular domain of engineering science. The design project considers a ‘real’ design problem, and the hardware is made available to the students for viewing and handling. It is argued that reality plays an important role in maintaining student interest and commitment, which is essential for effective learning in design. The paper gives an overview of the design project, and hence demonstrates how design teaching can provide an integrating theme within engineering science courses. The emphasis of the current approach on student-centred, active learning, rather than the traditional passive learning methods, is also discussed. Finally, an assessment is made of the project-based approach to design teaching and of its ability to develop understanding of engineering principles, to develop skills in CAD, and to maintain student enthusiasm using active learning techniques.

Counting on computers in DSP education

Global competition is forcing universities to rethink their approach to undergraduate education. Advanced hardware and software tools make it possible for students to grasp fundamental engineering concepts quicker, ultimately enhancing the undergraduate educational experience. The article highlights the roles played by software in DSP education, including symbolic and numeric processing as well as high-level programming of DSPs. The authors include a survey of some of the more popular software environments and identify important logistical issues.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Integrating Fundamentals and Computer Usage

With the expanding availability of computer facilities in the universities, there seems to be a growing trend to emphasize the use of large computer codes, originated as general purpose commercial software and for research oriented programs. This practice leads to a black box approach with overemphasis on the tools of analysis, to the detriment of proficiency in fundamental engineering concepts. A critique of this approach as used in the initial stages of a student’s training period is presented. The importance of teaching engineering principles without overlooking the need for computer usage skills is advocated. The development of a computational laboratory for the purpose of integrating computer skills into traditional lecture oriented instruction is suggested, and benefits to practicing engineers are considered.