Civil Engineering

Theory of Errors Errors and uncertainties, estimation of uncertainties when reading a graduated scale, estimation of a value and its uncertainty, significant figures, graphs with error bars, direct and indirect measurements, minimum and maximum gradient lines, error propagation, random and systematic errors, mean and standard deviation, statistical distributions, normal distribution, data rejection and Chauvenet’s criterion, weighted averages, least squares method, linear correlation coefficient, chi-squared test. Elastic Constant of a Spring Hooke’s Law, harmonic solution, anharmonicity and non-linear behaviour, measurement of the elastic constant in steady-state conditions, harmonic motion and isochronism. Laboratory experiment. Torsion Pendulum Elastic deformations of a solid under tension and compression, Young’s modulus, shear deformations, bending and torsional deformations, torque and torsion pendulum. Laboratory experiment. Resonance Damped harmonic motion and forced harmonic motion. Resonance. Quality factor (Q-factor) of resonance. Laboratory experiment. Bending of a Beam Generalised Hooke’s Law, bending deformation, forces and reaction moments at a constraint, elastic deflection, cantilever beam. Laboratory experiment.

The course is an in-depth study of some topics already learned during the Physics 1 module. Therefore, students are required to know the mathematical analysis and the basics of mechanics and dynamics of masses and rigid bodies. In particular, regarding the mechanical aspects, they must know: vectorial calculus, force and momentum of a force, the different types of forces, both conservative and non-conservative, elastic forces, the cardinal equations of dynamics, the dynamics of rigid bodies, the harmonic motion, simple and compound mechanical oscillators, damped harmonic motion, forced harmonic motion and the concept of resonance.

John R Taylor, Introduzione all'analisi degli errori - Lo studio delle incertezze nelle misure fisiche, Terza edizione, 2023, Zanichelli Editore Textbook of Physics used for the PHYSICS 1 exam Lecturer’s handouts

Classes are held once a week in the Faculty's LADIFI laboratories. Initially, there will be lectures on measure theory, followed by laboratory tests.

The laboratory course requires that attending students carry out all the four experiments outlined in the programme. During the laboratory sessions, students will be divided into groups of three. The group composition may vary from one session to another. During each session, the experimental work must be completed and a written report on the experiment must be prepared. Each student must submit all four required reports. Absence from one experiment is permitted only for duly justified health reasons. The final assessment will take into account the results obtained during the laboratory experiments and an oral examination covering the theory of errors and the physics underlying the experiments conducted.

There will be direct lectures on measure theory and laboratory experiments. In the laboratory, students will be divided into groups of three people per workstation. A report will be submitted at the end of the laboratory test. The composition of the three-person groups will vary from time to time.