Developing a deeper understanding of structural dynamics

Being a mathematically intensive subject, the teaching of structural dynamics to structural engineers can mean that mathematical manipulation dominates effort rather than developing an understanding of behaviour, especially as... [ view full abstract ]

Being a mathematically intensive subject, the teaching of structural dynamics to structural engineers can mean that mathematical manipulation dominates effort rather than developing an understanding of behaviour, especially as vibrational responses are not always intuitive. This paper will describe some techniques which have been used to encourage undergraduate and postgraduate students to develop a better appreciation of how the mathematics of the various problems reflects our observations of the real world. By de-emphasising the mathematical processes, which are treated as rehearsed pre-requisites, the focus during lectures lies in using physical models to observe behaviour, sometimes perforated by demonstrations in a laboratory setting and demonstrably supported by the mathematical solutions. Furthermore, by allowing students to bring self-assembled but pre-approved key equations into examinations, the nature of assessment becomes one of problem solving using real data, backed up by a developed expectation of structural response. The process of assembling the list of the relevant equations, their form, units, typical values and expected outputs, means students have to make a conscious effort to know how to use the equations correctly in the solution of a myriad of dynamic problems. To the engaged student this has resulted in a deeper understanding of this subject which has heretofore been anathema to some.