A model for teaching elastic frames

A demonstration model was designed, produced and successfully tested in the classroom and in public scientific demonstrations to help in understanding the way elastic frames deform. The model consists of a two-story, one-bay planar frame, which can be deformed by applying a concentrated force at different positions. This force is measured (through a load transducer) and transmitted to a computer, which calculates the structure’s deformation (through linear elastic analysis) in real time and displays its deformed shape on a monitor. The user of the model can compare the real deformation to the calculated one and qualitatively assess the validity of linear elastic analysis.



Related papers:

• Misseroni, D., Bigoni, D., Dal Corso, F. (2014)
  A model for teaching elastic frames
  Journal of Materials Education, 36 (5-6), 169-174.

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