Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Texas at Arlington

Instructor: P. S. Shiakolas, Ph. D. 
Office: Woolf Hall 315D 
Phone: (817) 272-5715 
Email: shiakolas@uta.edu 
Office Hours:TTH 1:00-2:30pm and by appointment 
Prerequisites: MAE 2306 (Digital Computation), MAE 2323 (Dynamics), MATH 3319 (Differential Equations and Linear Algebra) 
Text: Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Systems by R. L. Woods and K. L. Lawrence 

Grading Policy

Pop Quizzes (10%)

Pop quizzes will be based on the assigned reading or material covered in class. A pop quiz might take place at any time during the lecture period and in addition to the above will also cover the material that is currently being presented.

Homework (20%)

Assigned weekly and due at the beginning of the class period. Homework will be either analytical and/or computational. I reserve the right to inquire from you to demonstrate your computer work.

Semester Exam (40%)

Two exams each worth 20% of your grade. These exams will be comprehensive and may consist of two parts (an analytical and a computational). Note that part or the whole exam may be take-home. In class exams will be closed book-notes. No makeup exams will be given unless I am notified in advance and approve of it. The time of the exams will be announced later.

Final Exam (30%)

The final exam will be comprehensive and it may consist of two parts an analytical and a computational. The final exam will be closed book-notes. If you have any conflict with finals for your other courses you must inform me in writing no later than the third class meeting. Otherwise, I will assume that you will be able to take the final exam at the university’s scheduled time.

Guaranteed Grading Scale

The guaranteed grading scale based upon the minimum percentage number of points obtained is shown below. The required percentages will not be increased but they may be decreased based upon overall class averages at the end of the semester.

90% – 100%: A, 80% – 89%: B, 70% – 79%: C, 60% – 69%: D, 0 – 60%: F 

Software

You may use any computer software that you like, but make sure that you are proficient in it for solving the assignments for this class. The department provides Matlab, Excel, Mathcad, etc. in the PC lab. For the purposes of this class, support will be provided only for Matlab. 

Miscellaneous

If you have any religious holidays that you need to observe you must inform me in writing of the dates no later than the third class meeting. 

Course Objectives

I. System Representation: (Mathematical Tools)

     A. Differential Equations 
     B. Numerical Integration 
     C. Transfer Functions 
     D. State Space

II. System Time Response Analysis

     A. Pole, Zero Analysis 
     B. Typical Inputs 
     C. Time Domain Response 
         1. Analytic 
         2. Numeric (Computational) 
     D. Frequency Domain Response 
         1. Frequency Response 
         2. Laplace Transforms 
     E. Digital Simulation 
         1. Matlab

III. Modeling of Physical Systems

     A. Mechanical Systems 
         1. Translational 
         2. Rotational 
         3. Mixed 
     B. Electrical Systems 
         1. Passive 
         2. Active 
         3. Mixed 
     C. Fluid Systems 
     D. Thermal Systems 
     E. Mixed Systems

Notes

Software will be used throughout the course. We will be introduced to a few software packages but we will primarily use Matlab. The use of software is encouraged in order to allow us to study more examples and better understand the concepts presented during the lecture period. Homework problems will be specifically assigned to be solved with computer tools. However, be careful not to be carried away and learn the software commands without paying attention to the physical nature and understanding of the exercise/ 
problem being analyzed. 
  
 

Americans With Disabilities Act /Academic Dishonesty Statements

Back to the Courses page

The sciences do not try to explain, they hardlyeven try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical construct which, with the addition of certain verbal interpretations, describes observed phenomena. The justification of such a mathematical construct is solely and precisely that is expected to work.

John Von Neumann