Enhancing Steel Design Learning by Demonstrating Failure Modes in Steel Connections using Virtual and 3D Printed Models

In introductory steel design courses, students often work with complex and empirical design formulas that were developed through intensive research and were verified through observation rather than theory. Students often struggle with applying these design equations and need more visuals and illustrations to comprehend and use these formulas correctly. This research aims to investigate and propose methods to enhance the understanding of steel design concepts. These methods include 3D-printed connection models and creating illustrative interactive models to visualize concepts like buckling modes and block shear failure in tension members.

Hello everyone, my name is Omar Abu-Khalifa. I am a Civil Engineering major in my senior year of University and I’m here today to talk about Enhancing Steel Design Learning by Demonstrating Failure Modes in Steel Connections using Virtual and 3D Printed Models. To get started I want to first give a bit of an introduction to what my research project is focused on. Essentially, in introductory steel design courses, students often work with complex, empirical design formulas. Students often struggle with applying these design equations and need more visuals and illustrations to comprehend and use these formulas correctly. This research aims to investigate methods to improve student understanding of steel design concepts. These methods include developing 3D-printed connection models and creating an illustrative interactive model to visualize concepts likebuckling modes and block shear failure in tension members. Now, what were the goals of the research? When starting this research my mentor and I wanted us to print 3-D models of Steel Connections that demonstrate common failure modes, explore an illustrative interactive model that prospers student engagement similar to the model in figure 2, which was provided by AISC model viewer, demonstrates the failure modes for a double angle brace connection. The model shows tensile and block shear rupture failure. As research progressed, we shifted our goals to explore the implementation of Augmented Reality and Virtuality Reality softwares in education. This goal was based on reading I did over the summer when researching ideas. Now that the research goals have been discussed, let’s talk about the methodology. The first thing I did was conduct a thorough literature review. When conducting the literature review, I read articles that talked about utilizing lab spaces to study the failure in steel beams, conducting site visits so that students can see and visualize steel beams, having the professor use prerecorded lectures, among other things. The next step for me was to go to the MIX to get training in 3-D printing and exposure to 3-D printing. After getting exposure, I modeled standard steel beam-column and moment connections on AutoCAD and printed them. Look at figure 2 to see an example of a beam column connection. After printing, I explored the AISC interactive model viewer as seen in figure 2 and 3. Reflecting back on the research, I recognize that there are many more methods that could be done instead of 3-D printing models and using the interactive model viewer such as utilizing labs and conducting site visits but GMU resources do not allow for this, and planning the logistic behind this makes it more complicated. In addition, more research needs to be done on implementing AR and VR softwares in an education setting. In the future, this research can be expanded by evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching aids, further explore AR and VR softwares, and to continue working on the modeler. I’d like to acknowledge OSCAR, the Civil Engineering Department, AISC, Dr. Bondok and Dr. Lee. Thank you all for your time.