FALL 2008 ME104Q LIFE'S STRUCTURES
mechanical design in nature
and in the technological world
COURSE DESCRIPTION We discuss the mechanical aspects of design in the context of two areas in which most students have a very good intuitive understanding: structures built and used by humankind over the centuries, and human and animal bodies. We examine how Newtonian Mechanics, material behavior, energy requirements, size and dimensional considerations define the boundaries of mechanical design in nature and in human technology. On the side of technology, the course follows the evolution of structural elements in building technology. In the case of biological design, topics include the skeletal system, the heart and the circulatory system, muscles and soft tissues.
INSTRUCTOR Prof. RENATO PERUCCHIO, Hopeman 415, tel. X5-4069, e-mail: rlp@me.rochester.edu
Office hours: (all in Hopeman 415):
Tuesday  11:05 - 12:00 noon and Thursday  2:30 - 3:30 pm, or by appointment
TEACHING ASSISTANTS RACHEL SOMMER, <rsommer@mail.rochester.edu>, tel. X4-3779
LEE REIS, <lreis@mail.rochester.edu>, tel. X4-3146
COLLEEN ROSANIA, <crosania@mail.rochester.edu>, tel.

Office hours: (all in IT Center, back of Rush Rhees Library):   
Monday - to be established.
Tuesday - to be established.
Wednesday  - to be established.
MEETING TIMES We expect all students to attend lectures and recitations regularly. 
Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:40-10:55 a.m., in Dewey 2-162.
Recitations (cover same material, attend one only):
Tuesday, 7:40-8:55 p.m., in Harkness 114.
Wednesday, 3:25-4:40 p.m., in Gavett 244.
TEXTBOOK J.E. Gordon,  Structures, or why things don't fall down (DaCapo Press, New York, 2003)

There are also several  recommended books on 2-hr reserve in Carlson Library.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS

DESIGN PROJECTS
* Four design projects (including 4 written reports, 2 model constructions, and 1 poster presentation.) 
* Students work in teams of three students. Each team develops a common design solution. 
* Projects 1 and 2 require each student to hand in individually written design reports. 
* Projects 3 and 4 requires a single report for each team. 
* Kinex design sets (one per team) will be provided for model construction related to projects 1 and 2 (see  project descriptions)

PROBLEM SETS  Four sets.

EXAMS  There will be two exams. 

 COURSE GRADE   Each student’s final grade will consist of grades for four design projects, two exams, and four problem sets.
 60% Design projects (15% each for projects)
 15% Exam 1
 15% Exam 2
 10% Problem sets


Renato Perucchio
 updated 14 September 2008 Go to top of this page

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