Price Faculty of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
MECH 3502 Stress Analysis and Design
Course Outline
Instructor
Paul Labossiere, Associate Dean
Paul.Labossiere@umanitoba.ca
Office Hours
SPEB 341
o TBA
Teaching Assistants
TBA
Prerequisites
MECH 2222, MATH 2130
Course Website
https://umanitoba.ca/umlearn
Contact Hours
4 credit hours
Lectures
o 3 hours x 12 weeks = 36 hours
Tutorials
o 2 hours x 12 weeks = 24 hours
Important Dates
Term Test
TBA
Voluntary Withdrawal
March 19 (Deadline)
Non-Instructional Days
February 16-20
April 3
Winter 2026
Course Goals
The goal of this course is to expand on your understanding of mechanics of materials from
MECH 2222 to include more complex loading scenarios and more rigorous structural analysis
techniques such as energy methods. Furthermore, we introduce sources of material and
structural nonlinearity and discuss criteria to predict the onset of plastic deformation.
Course Textbook and Other Resources
Mechanics of Materials, Eighth Edition, F.P. Beer, E.R. Johnston, J.T. DeWolf, and D.F. Mazurek,
McGraw Hill, 2020.
Course Content
Concept of Stress, Strain, Stress/Strain Relations, Plastic Deformations
Torsion of Non-Circular Sections
Introduction to Unsymmetrical Bending
Transverse Loading: Shear Centre
Transformation of Stress, Principal Stresses, and Yield Criterion
Beam Deflections
Columns
Energy Methods
Course Components
Component
Lectures
Tutorials
Location
Days of the Week
Time
E2-125
E2-350
Mon., Wed., Fri.
Wed.
11:30-12:20
12:30-2:20pm
Responsibilities and Academic Integrity
Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards
of the Profession of Engineering and evince academic integrity in all their pursuits and activities
at the university. Students must act in accordance with the General Academic Regulations and
Requirements. Students are reminded that plagiarism or any other form of cheating in
examinations, assignments, reports or term tests is subject to serious academic penalty (e.g.
suspension or expulsion from the faculty or university). A student found guilty of contributing
to cheating in examinations or term assignments is also subject to serious academic penalty.
Copyright
All materials provided in this course are copyright. No part of the material protected by
copyright law may be stored or redistributed in any manner without the express written
permission of the relevant copyright holder.
Student Support and Resources
An extensive range of resources and support services are available to students, including:
Academic Resources, Counselling, Advocacy and Accessibility.
Technology and other Resource Requirements
Students must be able to access UMLearn and will also require access to Microsoft Excel or an
equivalent spreadsheet software.
Stress Analysis Software – Students are expected to use SolidWorks or other finite element
analysis numerical software to evaluate structures as part of the design project work for the
course.
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MECH 3502
Accreditation Details
Accreditation Units
Mathematics: 0%
Natural Science: 0%
Complementary Studies: 0%
Engineering Science: 75%
Engineering Design: 25%
Graduate Attributes
KB: knowledge base
PA: problem analysis
IN: investigation
DE: design
ET: engineering tools
IT: individual and team work
CS: communication skills
PR: professionalism
IE: impact of engineering on
society / environment
EE: ethics and equity
EP: economics and project
management
LL: life-long learning
Learning Outcomes
1. Advance and apply a knowledge base of concepts related to the mechanics of materials.
2. Analyze stress and strain within structures that are subjected to complex loading
conditions.
3. Analyze the deflections of structures under complex loading conditions.
4. Predict component failure (yielding or buckling) under complex loading conditions.
5. Design load bearing structures using analytical and numerical techniques and create
engineering design reports in a team environment.
Expected Competency Levels
Learning
Outcome
1
2
3
4
5
KB
D
D
A
PA
Grading Scale
Letter
A+
A
B+
B
C+
C
D
F
Mark
≥86
81-85.9
76-80.9
70-75.9
65-69.9
60-64.9
50-59.9
<50
The historical grade boundaries are
shown above. These grade boundaries
are subject to modifications at the
conclusion of the course and are also
subject to departmental review.
DE
ET
Attribute
IT
CS
A
D
D
D
D
A
A
PR
IE
EE
EP
LL
D
Evaluation
Assessment Tool
Value (%)
Assignments
10%
Term Test
10%
Design Projects
P1-10%
P2-20%
Final Exam
50%
Competency Levels
I - Introduced
D - Developed
A - Advanced
IN
Attributes Being Assessed
Knowledge Base (KB.3)
Problem Analysis (PA.2, PA.3)
Knowledge Base (KB.3)
Problem Analysis (PA.2, PA.3)
Problem Analysis (PA.1-4)
Design (DE.1-4)
Communication (CS.1)
Team Work (IT.1, IT.2) Peer Eval
Knowledge Base (KB.3)
Problem Analysis (PA.2, PA.3)
Feedback
Summative
Summative
& Formative
Summative
& Formative
Summative
Please see UMLearn for assignment and design project due dates
Requirements and Regulations
All references must be in IEEE reference style.
Specific assignment due dates and times will be posted on UM Learn and are typically due one week
following the assignment posting date. Assignment submissions are to be made through UM Learn. Late
homework will not be accepted without severe penalty.
Projects are due on the specific date and time and submissions are to be made through UMLearn or as
otherwise specified. Late project submissions will not be accepted without severe penalty.
There will be no make-up tests. The weight of any test missed for a valid medical or compassionate reason
will be transferred to the final exam.
Participation at lectures and tutorials is required for the successful completion of this course
It is the responsibility of each student to contact the instructor in a timely manner if he or she is uncertain
about his or her standing in the course and about his or her potential for receiving a failing grade.
Students should also familiarize themselves with the General Academic Regulations and Section 3 of the Price
Faculty of Engineering Academic Regulations regarding incomplete term work, deferred examinations,
attendance and withdrawal. Students should also be aware of the Respectful Work and Learning Environment
Policy, Communications Policy, as well as all other regulations and policies.
No programmable devices or systems (such as calculators, iPads, cell phones, wireless communication or
data storage devices) are allowed in examinations unless approved by the course instructor.
Tests and exams will be closed book and closed notes unless indicated otherwise by the course instructor.
All work is to be completed individually and all submitted work must be the student’s own work.
Deferred exam requests must follow the deferred exam policy and are not at the discretion of the instructor.
The Temporary Absence Form must be submitted if you are absent or unable to complete any component of
the course for an approved extenuating circumstance.
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MECH 3502
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