Statics

Course Description

EGN3311 – Statics is a 3-credit upper-division lecture course in the Engineering: General taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course presents the study of particles and rigid bodies in equilibrium using a vector approach. Students learn to analyze two- and three-dimensional force systems, construct free-body diagrams, and apply the equations of equilibrium to determine forces, reactions, and internal loadings in engineering structures. Topics include forces on particles, two- and three-dimensional rigid-body equilibrium, moments and couples, centroids, section properties, analysis of trusses, frames, and machines, friction, and moments of inertia.

EGN3311 is offered at Florida public universities (FIU, USF, UCF, FAU, Florida Polytechnic, UNF, and others) as the foundational mechanics course for upper-division engineering programs. It is articulated as equivalent to EGN2312 – Engineering Analysis: Statics taught at Florida State Colleges, providing a common pathway for students transferring through the engineering A.A. transfer track.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply vector mechanics to resolve and combine forces and moments in two and three dimensions.
• Construct accurate free-body diagrams for particles, rigid bodies, and systems of connected bodies.
• Apply the equations of equilibrium to determine support reactions and internal forces.
• Analyze force-system resultants, including moments about points and axes, couples, and reduction to equivalent force-couple systems.
• Solve for internal forces in trusses, frames, and machines using the methods of joints, sections, and member analysis.
• Apply principles of dry friction to systems involving impending motion, including wedges, screws, and belt drives.
• Determine centroids and centers of gravity for lines, areas, volumes, and composite bodies.
• Compute area moments of inertia and apply the parallel-axis theorem to composite cross-sections.
• Analyze internal shear forces and bending moments in beams, including construction of shear and moment diagrams.
• Apply distributed-load reduction, including hydrostatic pressure on submerged surfaces.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on institutional emphasis, students may also:

• Apply the principle of virtual work and potential-energy methods to equilibrium and stability problems.
• Analyze cables and arches under concentrated, parabolic, and catenary loadings.
• Use computational tools (MATLAB, Python, or Mathcad) to solve large equilibrium systems.
• Compute mass moments of inertia as preparation for upper-division dynamics.
• Solve 3D rigid-body equilibrium problems involving complex support configurations.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• General Principles: Newton's laws, units, dimensional homogeneity, and engineering problem-solving methodology.
• Force Vectors: Cartesian vectors, position vectors, dot product, cross product; resultants of concurrent forces in 2D and 3D.
• Equilibrium of a Particle: Free-body diagrams; coplanar and three-dimensional force equilibrium for particles.
• Force-System Resultants: Moment of a force about a point and an axis; couples; equivalent systems; distributed-load reduction.
• Equilibrium of a Rigid Body: 2D and 3D equilibrium; support reactions; constraints and statical determinacy; two-force and three-force members.
• Structural Analysis: Plane and space trusses (method of joints, method of sections); analysis of frames and machines.
• Internal Forces: Internal loadings in structural members; shear-force and bending-moment diagrams for beams.
• Friction: Coulomb (dry) friction; wedges, screws, journal bearings, thrust bearings, belt friction.
• Center of Gravity, Centroid, and Center of Mass: Centroids of lines, areas, and volumes; composite bodies; theorems of Pappus and Guldinus.
• Moments of Inertia of Areas: Area moments and products of inertia; parallel-axis theorem; principal moments of inertia.

Optional Topics

• Virtual Work and Potential Energy: Principle of virtual work; potential-energy method; stability of equilibrium configurations.
• Cables and Arches: Cables under concentrated loads, parabolic and catenary cables; three-hinged arches.
• Hydrostatics: Pressure distribution; resultant forces on submerged surfaces.
• Mass Moments of Inertia: Mass moments of inertia of common shapes; parallel-axis theorem for mass.
• Computational Methods: MATLAB, Mathcad, or Python for vector operations and large systems of equilibrium equations.

Resources & Tools

• Standard Textbooks: Engineering Mechanics: Statics by R.C. Hibbeler (most widely adopted in Florida); Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics by Beer, Johnston, Mazurek, and Cornwell; Engineering Mechanics: Statics by Meriam, Kraige, and Bolton
• Online Homework Platforms: Pearson Mastering Engineering; McGraw-Hill Connect
• Calculation Tools: Scientific or graphing calculator with vector/matrix capability (TI-89, TI-Nspire CX CAS, Casio fx-9750GIII, or similar)
• Computational Tools: MATLAB or Python (NumPy/SymPy) for vector algebra and systems of equilibrium equations; Mathcad for engineering calculations with units
• Reference Standards: AISC and ASCE structural references; Beer/Johnston and Hibbeler problem libraries used as exemplar problem types

Career Pathways

EGN3311 is a foundational course for nearly every upper-division engineering specialization. Successful completion supports progression into the following:

• Mechanical Engineering – Foundation for design and analysis of machines, vehicles, energy systems, and manufacturing equipment.
• Civil and Structural Engineering – Foundation for analysis of buildings, bridges, foundations, and transportation infrastructure.
• Aerospace Engineering – Foundation for analysis of airframes, launch vehicles, and propulsion structural components, with strong applicability to Florida's Space Coast aerospace cluster.
• Biomedical Engineering – Foundation for orthopedic biomechanics and the analysis of medical devices and prostheses.
• Industrial and Systems Engineering – Foundation for materials handling, plant layout, and ergonomics analysis.
• Ocean and Environmental Engineering – Foundation for coastal structures, hydraulic systems, and environmental infrastructure.

Special Information

Articulation with EGN2312

EGN3311 is articulated as equivalent to EGN2312 – Engineering Analysis: Statics taught at Florida public colleges. Students who complete EGN2312 with a satisfactory grade typically receive transfer credit for EGN3311 at receiving universities. The course content, learning outcomes, and exam standards are nearly identical; the principal difference is the institutional setting (lower-division at colleges, upper-division at universities). Students should verify articulation through the Florida SCNS or the receiving institution's transfer evaluation office.

FE Examination Preparation

Statics is one of the most heavily tested topic areas on the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. Mastery of free-body diagrams, equilibrium analysis, friction, and centroids/moments of inertia developed in EGN3311 directly supports FE preparation, which is the first step toward Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensure in Florida.

Pathway to Upper-Division Mechanics

EGN3311 is the prerequisite for EGN3321 – Dynamics, EGN3331C – Strength of Materials, and a wide range of upper-division courses including machine design, structural analysis, soil mechanics, and biomechanics. Strong preparation in this course is critical for success in the engineering major.