Teaching
CIVL5390 Finite Element Methods
(2024-25 Spring)
This graduate-level course explores the Finite Element Method (FEM) as a computational tool for solving continuum mechanics problems. The course provides a comprehensive exploration of computational mechanics, beginning with foundational concepts in 1D and 2D linear boundary value problems, numerical implementation strategies, and error analysis, followed by applications to linear elasticity, structural mechanics (beams and plates), and advanced topics such as nonlinear problems (material and geometric nonlinearities), time-dependent PDEs (transient problems and dynamic systems), and inverse problems for parameter identification. The curriculum integrates modern computational techniques, including differentiable programming for sensitivity analysis and FFT-based methods for homogenization and multi-scale modeling, combining theoretical derivations with hands-on coding exercises in Jupyter notebooks to bridge abstract mathematical formulations with practical engineering solutions.
The course materials are maintained in this GitHub repository.
CIVL2110 Statics
(2024-25 Fall)
This undergraduate-level course presents applies Newtonian mechanics to analyze static engineering systems, covering particles, rigid bodies, force equivalence, equilibrium, distributed loads, centroids, moments of inertia, and friction. Students will model structures via free-body diagrams (FBDs), classify stable systems as statically determinate or indeterminate, and solve internal forces (axial, shear, bending moment) in trusses, frames, and beams. Key skills include stability assessment, static analysis of determinate/indeterminate structures, and sketching internal force diagrams. The course emphasizes foundational concepts, excluding advanced topics like material deformation or dynamic loading, which are addressed in future courses (e.g., Mechanics of Materials, Structural Analysis). By completion, students will distinguish between solvable and unsolvable problems within statics, preparing them for advanced studies in structural design and mechanics. Essential for civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering students.
CIVL4370 Computer Methods of Structural Analysis
(2023-24 Spring)
This undergraduate-level course presents the stiffness method for matrix structural analysis, which provides an introduction to the finite element method. On the other hand, the course also illustrates how these tools are realized in structural analysis software. The focus is on planar and spatial trusses, continuous beams, planar and spatial frames, with a brief dissuasion on grid and shell structures. This course is on intermediate level, which aims to provide future structural engineers the tools to analyze realistic civil engineering structures. Moreover, the course provides an opportunity for the students to build an intuition for structural behavior under static and dynamical loading.