COURSE CONTENTS

For the Spring Semester, 2003, the course contents will be as follows:

• Computing in Civil Engineering (1 week). How has computing changed over the past 20 years? What's cool about computing in the 2000-2003 era? How are computers and computer technologies changing the way engineering companies conduct their day-to-day business?
  
  Basic concepts of computing -- hardware components in a simple computer; storing information on computers; high and low level computer languages; compiled programs versus intepreted programs; principles of good software development.

• World Wide Web Development (2 weeks). Basics of Computer Networks. Brief History of the Internet and WWW. World Wide Web Browsers and Servers. Search engines and how to use them. Looking ahead to the "Semantic Web." Design of Web pages, HTML tags, examples etc...

• Programming with MATLAB (3-4 weeks). Gentle introduction to Linear Matrix Algebra. Basic components of Structured Programming. Looping and branching constructs. Functions. Graphics. M-files.

• Introduction to Java and Object-Oriented Concepts (3-4 weeks) : What is Java? How does it work? Basic components of Programming in Java. Writing, compiling and running small Java application programs and applets. Program components and structure, including concepts of object-oriented program design.

All students will develop a home page on the World Wide Web. Students will use MATLAB and Java to solve simple engineering problems, and design web pages that incorporate Java applets.

IMPORTANT

• Be sure to check the General Information section for expectations on homework, computer programs, and midterm/final exams,

• Check the Notes from Class section for feedback from class, adjustments to class schedules, and links to homework solutions.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• COURSE PREREQUISITES
  
  
  • Calculus and math courses.

• TIME AND LOCATION OF CLASS/OFFICE HOURS
  
  
  • Class. M,W,F 1-1.50 pm, Room 1104, Engineering Classroom Building.
  • Office Hours. By appointment (send me e-mail for a quick response to your problems).

• TEXTS AND COURSE NOTES
  
  
  • Austin and Chancogne, Introduction to Engineering Programming: in C, MATLAB and JAVA , John Wiley and Sons, New York.
    
  • Handouts on getting started with UNIX, HTML and the Web. You can purchase these notes from the Engineering Copy Center for $9.00.

• EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
  
  
  • Midterm 1 (25%) : March 19, Closed book. The midterm will cover Chapters 1 and 2 of the class text, introduction to Matrix Linear Algebra and MATLAB, and anything that was written on the board during the first six weeks of class.
  • Midterm 2 (25%) : April 23. The midterm will cover Linear Algebra and MATLAB. I suggest that you prepare by working the "Review Questions" for Chapter 13, 14 and 15 of Austin/Chancogne.
  • Final (35%) : May 17, 1.30 pm - 3.30 pm. The final exam will be open book and open notes. There will be four questions -- two on linear algebra and MATLAB and two on C programming.

Note. There will be no midterm or final make-up exams. Students may drop the lower of the midterm scores. Bi-weekly programming assignments in MATLAB and Java, and your home page on the Web will account for 40% of the grade.

Developed in July 1999 by Mark Austin
Last Modified : 04/25/2003 14:14:03
Copyright © 1998-2003, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland