last modified: 02/03/2006

Course code: wb1443

Course name: Matlab in Engineering Mechanics

This concerns a Course

ECTS credit points: 2

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology

Section of Engineering Mechanics

Lecturer(s): Arend L. Schwab

Tel.:  015 - 27 82701 / 85733

Catalog data:

     

Course year:

MSc 1st year

Course language:

English

In case of Dutch: Please contact the lecturer about an English alternative, whenever needed.

Semester:

1B

Hours per week:

1

Other hours:

     

Assessment:

Oral exam

Assessment period:

 /  /

(see academic calendar)

 

Prerequisites (course codes):

 wi1250wb  Analyse 1 (DIP),  wi1251wb Analyse 2 (DIP), wi1313wb  Lineaire algebra 1 (DIP),  wi1314wb  Lineaire algebra 2 (DIP) ,  wi3097wb Numerieke Wiskunde (DUP)

Follow up (course codes):

wb1413 Multibody Dynamics B, wi 4141TU: Matlab for advanced users

Detailed description of topics:

Matlab in Engineering Mechanics is an introductory course in technical computing, Matlab, and numerical methods. The emphasis is on informed use of mathematical software. We want you to learn enough about the mathematical functions in MATLAB that you will be able to use them correctly, appreciate their limitations, and modify them when necessary to suit your own needs. The topics include:

- introduction to MATLAB

- linear equations

- zero finding

- least squares

- ordinary differential equations

- eigenvalues and singular values

The weekly homework assignments are on these topics. The final project is an individual choice from various fields of application like: Multibody System Dynamics with Matlab, Control Theory with Matlab/Simulink, or Finite element calculations with FEMLab.

Course material:

  • Cleve Moller, "Numerical Computing with MATLAB", SIAM, 2004
    An electronic edition published by The MathWorks is available for free at:
    http://www.mathworks.com/moler/chapters.html

References from literature:

  • Rudra Pratap, "Getting Started With MATLAB 6", Oxford University Press, 2002.

Remarks assessment, entry requirements, etc.:

There will be weekly homework assignments and a final project. The homework is normally due a week after hand out and will be graded. In doing the homework I encourage you to work in pairs. You have to make a report on the final project. After handing in the report you make an appointment for the oral exam which is mainly on the assignments and the final project. The exam is individual.

Learning goals:

The student must be able to:

  1. identify the finite accuracy of numerical results obtained in general due to the finite word length of the computer

  2. solve a system of linear equations and understand the effect on the solutions of close to singular systems

  3. apply numerous root finding algorithms and evaluate the speed and accuracy

  4. apply various curve fitting techniques and identify the least square solutions, both in linear and nonlinear curve fitting

  5. apply various numerical integration schemes to obtain the solutions of ordinary differential equations, determine and compare the amount of computational effort, and the stability and accuracy of the solutions

  6. apply and understand Fourier analysis on measured data in order to extract basic frequencies

  7. calculate eigenvalues and do singular value decomposition on a system of equations and discuss the efficiency and accuracy for large systems

Computer use:

The course and the assigments are fully computer oriented.

Laboratory project(s):

No lab assignments.

Design content:

None

Percentage of design:  0%