9351418 Mtenga The objective of this project is to establish facilities for an undergraduate instructional laboratory in engineering mechanics and structural engineering courses. The major items requested in this project include: - A universal test/demonstration frame, together with its attachments. This is intended for experiments in vector statics and strength of materials. Students are able to work on this frame on their own as part of laboratory experience. - A reduced-scale model loading frame, including loading electo-mechanical actuators and data sensing devices, i.e., load cells, strain gauges and dial gauges. With the acquisition of these loading frames students are able to build models and test them in the laboratory, and thus appreciate structural system performance. - Computer software required for the design courses. Student performance in the courses that are affected by the facility is monitored and documented. In addition, performance in other areas of study are monitored, since some of the courses affected by the facility (vector statics and strength of materials) are pre-requisites in other areas of the civil engineering undergraduate program. ***
