Educational Modules

Educational Modules

ISIS Canada recognizes the importance of technology transfer in enabling the use of innovative infrastructure solutions. As such, a series of Educational Modules on fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) and structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies has been developed by ISIS Canada for use in undergraduate engineering and technical college curricula. These modules are available free of charge for the use of students and educators. Please see below for instructions on how to obtain the modules.

 

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Motivation and Format

The next generation of engineers, faced with rapidly deteriorating infrastructure, is destined to face many difficult decisions in maintaining and preserving our civil infrastructure systems. Engineering students must therefore be made aware of the various infrastructure tools at their disposal, including emerging FRP and SHM technologies.

The ISIS Canada Education Committee has developed a series of targeted Educational Modules to be used in engineering education curricula by any interested parties. ISIS’ goal in producing these modules is to enable and encourage the teaching of ISIS technologies in educational curricula where these technologies are not currently covered. The modules have been developed to allow seamless integration into various existing courses with 3 or 4-lecture units on FRP and SHM technologies. The target typical civil engineering undergraduate courses include:

  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Civil Engineering Materials
  • Reinforced Concrete Design
  • Structural Analysis
  • Infrastructure Rehabilitation
  • Engineering Economics

ISIS has endeavored to make the Educational Modules as easy to use as possible, and as such course notes, lecture slides, handouts, solved example problems, and suggested assignments and laboratories are provided.

Why teach FRP and SHM?

Teaching ISIS technologies has a number of direct and indirect benefits, including:

  • Exposure to innovative information
  • Increased depth of student understanding
    – FRP materials are linear elastic, good for comparative studies
    – Materials dictate the equations, not vice versa
    – Underlying philosophy of design equations becomes more apparent
  • An awareness of the full suite of infrastructure solutions makes graduates more attractive/successful
  • Excitement, motivation, and inspiration

Educational Modules Overview

Nine educational modules have been developed to cover the full suite of ISIS technologies:

  1. Mechanics Examples Incorporating FRP Materials (also available in French)
  2. An Introduction to FRP Composites for Construction (also available in French)
  3. An Introduction to FRP Reinforcement for Concrete
  4. An Introduction to FRP Strengthening of Concrete Structures
  5. An Introduction to Structural Health Monitoring
  6. Handling and Application of FRPs
  7. An Introduction to Life Cycle Costing for Innovative Infrastructure
  8. Durability of Composites for Construction
  9. An introduction to Prestressing with FRPs

Each module is comprised of various components to facilitate their use. Module components typically include:

  • Notes – 20 to 30 page booklet
  • Slides (and handouts) – accompany notes
  • Worked examples
  • Suggested assignments and solutions
  • Suggested laboratories (and materials if requested)

The following integration matrix shows how all of the modules can be integrated into various typical engineering courses (both undergraduate and graduate):

Downloading the Modules

All modules are available for download and use at no charge. To obtain a download password please send an email to charleen.choboter@umanitoba.ca outlining the following information:

  • Name
  • Title
  • Organization
  • Email
  • Intended use for Educational Modules
  • Where you learned about the modules

The above information is required by ISIS Canada to notify Education Module users of version updates and additional modules as they become available. Should you not wish to receive updates please state this in your email.

 

Click here to begin downloading (password required)

 

Click here to download Student Version (password required)

 

Module Contents

The following is a brief listing of topics contained in each of the Educational Modules.

Module 1: Mechanics Examples Incorporating FRP Materials

The goal of Module 1 is to encourage student exposure to FRP in the 2nd-year curriculum through the provision and use of simple solid mechanics examples incorporating these materials. This module currently consists of 19 example problems with complete solutions. Various mechanics concepts are covered, including:

  • Equilibrium
  • Stress
  • Strain
  • Flexure
  • Shear
  • Torsion

More examples are currently being sought and developed. Any suggestions for additional example problems to be included should be directed to Dr. Leon Wegner at leon.wegner@usask.ca.

Module 2: An Introduction to FRP Composites for Construction

The goal of Module 2 is to introduce 2nd or 3rd year students to FRP materials within the context of a typical course on civil engineering materials with 2 to 4 lectures that can be inserted into existing curricula. The main concepts covered in this module include:

  • Introduction and Overview
  • Composition and Manufacture
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Environmental Effects and Durability
  • Applications in Construction
  • Laboratory: Comparative study of fibre reinforced polymers and steel under axial tension

Module 3: An Introduction to FRP Reinforcement for Concrete

Educational Module 3 seeks to encourage the inclusion of FRP reinforcement technologies in 3rd- or 4th-year courses in Reinforced Concrete Design with 2 to 4 lectures. Topics covered include:

  • Introduction and Overview
  • FRP Materials
  • Design for Flexure
  • Serviceability
  • Deformability
  • Additional Topics (including shear)
  • Examples
  • Case Studies
  • Laboratory: FRP-reinforced concrete beam in bending

Module 4: An Introduction to FRP Strengthening of Concrete Structures

An introduction to FRP repair technologies for concrete is presented for inclusion in 3rd- or 4th-year Reinforced Concrete Design or Infrastructure Rehabilitation courses, again, with 2 to 4 lectures. Topics included in this module include:

  • Introduction and Overview
  • FRP Materials
  • Evaluation of Existing Structures
  • Beams and One-Way Slabs
  • Column Strengthening
  • Advanced Applications
  • Case Studies
  • Laboratory: FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete beam in bending

Module 5: An Introduction to Structural Health Monitoring

Educational Module 5 has been developed to provide engineering undergraduates with introductory information on the application and use of structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies in structures. This module includes the following broad topics:

  • Introduction and Overview
  • What is Structural Health Monitoring?
  • SHM Methodology
  • Sensor Technology
  • SHM Testing Categories
  • SHM Pitfalls
  • Case Studies
  • Civionics Specifications
  • The Future of SHM

Module 6: Application and Handling of FRP Reinforcements for Concrete

The overall objective of this module is to provide engineering and technical college students with an overall awareness of the significant issues to keep in mind when applying fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials in applications involving reinforcement or strengthening of concrete structures. The module is targeted toward the user sector, and covers information specific to the handling, storage, and application of FRP reinforcing and strengthening systems for concrete. Topics discussed include:

  • Introduction and Background
  • Applications of FRP Materials in Construction
  • Handling and application of FRP Reinforcement for Concrete Structures
  • Handling and Application of FRPs for Strengthening Concrete Structures
  • Summary and Conclusions
  • References and Additional Guidance

Module 7: An Introduction to Life Cycle Engineering & Costing for Innovative Infrastructure

The objective of this module is to provide undergraduate engineering students with a general awareness of the principles of life cycle costing and life cycle engineering and costing, particularly as they apply to the use of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) and structural health monitoring (SHM) in civil engineering applications. The primary objectives of this module can be summarized as follows:

  1. to define life cycle costing in a historical context;
  2. to establish appropriate principles for deterministic life cycle costing which can be used to support life cycle engineering and costing;
  3. to provide engineering students with a general awareness of appropriate principles for deterministic life cycle costing and to illustrate their potential use in civil engineering applications through example;
  4. to address some practical issues surrounding life cycle engineering and costing;
  5. to facilitate and encourage the use of innovative and sustainable building materials and systems in the construction industry by assisting engineers in making rational decisions based on whole-life costs; and
  6. to provide guidance to students seeking additional information on this topic.

Module 8: Durability of FRP Composites for Construction

The objective of this module is to provide engineering students with an overall awareness and understanding of the various environmental factors that are currently considered significant with respect to the durability of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials in civil engineering applications. Topics discussed include:

  • Introduction and Overview
  • Moisture and Marine Exposures
  • Alkalinity and Corrosion
  • High Temperatures and Fire
  • Cold Temperatures and Freeze-Thaw Cycling
  • Ultraviolet Radiation
  • Creep and Creep-Rupture
  • Cyclic Loading (Fatigue)
  • Reduction Factors and Stress Limits
  • Case Study: Field Evaluation of GFRP Durability on Concrete
  • Durability Research Needs
  • Summary and Conclusion
  • References and Additional Guidance

Module 9: Prestressing Concrete Structures with Fibre Reinforced Polymers

This module is intended to:

  1. provide students with a general awareness of guidelines and procedures that can be used for the design of concrete components prestressed with FRPs in buildings and bridges;
  2. to facilitate the use of FRP reinforcing materials in the construction and structural rehabilitation industries; and
  3. to provide guidance to students seeking additional information on this topic.

Information is presented for both internal and external prestressing applications with FRP bars, rods, and tendons. Design considerations for serviceability, strength and ductility, as well as anchorage of FRP prestressing tendons are addressed.

 

Comments and Suggestions

The ISIS Canada Educational Modules are continually being updated and extended. Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated and should be directed to Dr. Leon Wegner at leon.wegner@usask.ca.

 

Policy on Translation of Education Modules

The ISIS Canada Research Management Committee has established that anyone can translate the ISIS Education Modules for their own use, and educators can modify or rearrange the material for teaching purposes, however no one can republish the modules in any form.