Session: 09-03-01: Applied Mechanics, Dynamic Systems, and Control Engineering

Paper Number: 90008

90008 - Open-Source Virtual Labs for Undergraduate Mechanical Vibrations and Control Theory Courses 

Open-Source Virtual Labs for Undergraduate Mechanical Vibrations and Control Theory Courses

Keeping engineering students’ engagement and interest in a class throughout the semester is challenging. Students often lose their interest when they get overwhelmed with highly mathematical concepts. Students are taught the fundamental concepts of mechanical vibrations and control theory in a traditional manner where the instructor presents the topic and supports the material with class projects and homework assignments. The prior research shows that most students struggle to apply their knowledge to an engineering application in passive learning environments, hence missing the fundamentals and course learning objectives. There is a growing interest in the visualization and application of fundamental engineering and science concepts to enhance student learning. If the theory can be demonstrated either using a portable prototype or virtual laboratories, students not only comprehend the topic but also link it to its application areas. Although several virtual laboratories are available for gateway science courses, such as physics and chemistry, there is still a need for engineering courses. Additionally, although laboratories are requisite in undergraduate engineering courses, the global crisis that arose with the COVID-19 crisis challenged student learning and made it difficult to achieve articulated course learning objectives correlated to the in-person laboratory or hands-on experiences.

To address these challenges, we designed and developed open-source virtual laboratories for vibrations and control theory courses using Matlab Simscape in this study. Why Matlab?  Matlab is frequently offered to first year students in engineering programs in many institutions and as the simulation and programming software, Matlab includes various toolboxes such as Simulink, Simscape, system identification, and control design. One can design rigid and flexible systems in Simscape by either importing the cad model of the system or using blocks from the library and analyzing the response of the simulation while creating 3D visualization of the model through mechanics explorer. In order to determine how accurately the Simscape model simulates a mechanical system, we have tested the validity in our previous work. The developed graphical user interface (GUI) application allows the user to change the parameters of the selected system such as its geometry, material properties, initial conditions, and the type of study (free or forces response). The students can run the simulations many times, work at their own pace and change the parameters of the system to observe the effect of the parameter on the system response, which is difficult to comprehend in a traditional learning environment and can work as a team for the assigned laboratory activities and projects.  

Presenting Author: Andrea Contreras-Esquen Kennesaw State University

Presenting Author Biography: Andrea Contreras-Esquen is a graduate research assistant in the mechanical engineering department at Kennesaw State University.

Authors:

Andrea Contreras-Esquen Kennesaw State University
Tris Utschig Kennesaw State University
Ayse Tekes Kennesaw State University