Chabot College Fall 2003
Course Outline for Design Technology 69
STRUCTURAL CONCEPTS FOR DRAFTERS
Catalog Description:
69 - Structural Concepts for Drafters 4 Units
Introduction to technical statics; resolution of forces, basic coplanar forces systems.
Emphasis on graphical analysis. Strongly recommended: Design Technology 61 or
Industrial Technology 74. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory.
Prerequisite Skills:
None
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. identify and utilize the elements of a force:
a. magnitude
b. direction
c. line of action;
2. determine resultants and equillbrants of simple force systems
a. graphically
b. by technical computation;
3. use Bow's notation on force space diagrams;
4. verify equilibrium conditions for beam and simple truss diagrams;
5. graphically determine line of action for a truss force system with a funicular polygon;
6. use stress/load tables to determine maximum allowable loading.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to forces
2. Horizontal and vertical components of coplanar forces:
a. graphical resolution
b. analytical trigonometric resolution
3. Graphical solutions of basic force systems:
a. parallelogram method
b. force (vector) polygon method
c. funicular polygon method
4. Graphical solution of individual beam and simple truss vertical reaction
5. Technical algebraic moment calculation to determine beam reactions
6. Basic laws of coplanar forces in equilibrium
7. Technical trigonometric computations
Methods of Presentation:
1. Lectures
2. Demonstrations
Chabot College Page 2
Course Outline for Design Technology 69
Structural Concepts for Drafters
Fall Semester 2003
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Find resultant and equilibrants of three or more forces using the force
polygon method
b. Determine resultants for 4K wind loads on 64’ span Howe truss
c. Draw force polygon of external forces for 6K loads on a 48 ft span
triangular Belgian truss
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Assignments
b. Midterm
c. Final Exam
Textbooks (Typical):
Simplified Mechanics and Strength of Materials, Parker and Ambrose, Wiley Publishers,
2000
Special Student Materials:
1. Calculator
2. Drafting instruments
3. Engineering paper
4. Vellum sheets
hps
Revised September 2002
Effective Fall 2003