This paper introduces a new preparation technique, termed volume control (VC), which attempts to ... more This paper introduces a new preparation technique, termed volume control (VC), which attempts to achieve a pre-determined, preshear relative density (D rc ) for granular soil samples used in triaxial tests. This technique provides more controllable density conditions on the samples in triaxial tests than conventional methods that apply a target preshear effective confining stress. Thus, the VC technique allows for a clearer examination of a granular soil's behavior by allowing the user to control the effects of preshear relative density on the results. In contrast, conventional preparation methods which set a predetermined confining stress cannot control the relative density prior to shearing. The new volume control technique was used to investigate the undrained behavior of a sand prepared at a given preshear relative density (D rc ), to study the stress-strain, pore pressure, and strength behavior. A series of monotonic undrained compression triaxial tests were performed on a sand obtained from a Cape Cod beach in Massachusetts (CCS). The VC technique was used to control the D rc to 40, 70 or 95% with the final confining effective stresses for these samples ranging from 214 to 656 kPa. For validation and comparison, samples prepared by a stress control (SC) technique, the conventional method of performing triaxial tests on granular soils, was performed on samples with initial relative densities (D ri ), after the saturation phase of a triaxial test, in the range of 2.96 to 82.9%. These samples were consolidated isotropically to targeted effective confining stresses of 173, 345, and 690 kPa yielding D rc in the range of 43 to 111%. Study results show that both sample preparation techniques are valid, however, the bulk moduli and measured friction angle results from VC technique tests were more consistent than those prepared under the SC technique.
The stress–strain behavior of frozen Manchester fine sand has been measured in a high-pressure lo... more The stress–strain behavior of frozen Manchester fine sand has been measured in a high-pressure low-temperature triaxial compression testing system developed for this purpose. This system incorporates DC servomotor technology, lubricated end platens, and on-specimen axial strain devices. A parametric study has investigated the effects of changes in strain rate, confining pressure, sand density, and temperature on behavior for very small strains (0.001%) to very large (> 20%) axial strains. This paper presents constitutive behavior for strain levels up to 1%. On-specimen axial strain measurements enabled the identification of a distinct upper yield stress (knee on the stress–strain curve) and a study of the behavior in this region with a degree of precision not previously reported in the literature. The Young's modulus is independent of strain rate and temperature, increases slightly with sand density in a manner consistent with Counto's model for composite materials, and d...
This paper explores how sustainability issues have been integrated into the education of engineer... more This paper explores how sustainability issues have been integrated into the education of engineering and computing students, as one among many important macroethical issues. Based on surveys of educators focused primarily in the U.S., other Anglo countries, and Western Europe, 673 individuals reported teaching sustainability in their courses. These responses were examined for trends in teaching and assessment methods for ethics and societal impacts (ESI), and compared to those who teach ESI but not including sustainability. Follow-up interviews provided six more detailed examples of teaching practices specific to sustainability in courses where sustainability was a primary focus for integration. The results illustrate sustainability practices that include a macroethics lens, and could inspire educators to increase the integration of sustainability into their teaching.
Introduction There has been a recent surge in community engagement (CE) efforts in engineering ed... more Introduction There has been a recent surge in community engagement (CE) efforts in engineering education. These efforts have involved a spectrum of academic avenues – from curricular to co-curricular to extracurricular – that cover community-based projects in local to global settings. For example, many CE experiences can be embedded within courses in the traditional pedagogical form of service-learning, although in many cases CE activities are implemented and/or facilitated by nonacademic organizations, such as Engineers Without Borders (EWB). These activities continue to undergo increasing levels of design, management, and assessment, the latter driven, in part, by the outcomes assessment requirements for ABET engineering program accreditation in the United States, but also because of apparent positive impacts to student participants. Previous studies indicate that the knowledge and skills gained by the students are at least on par with gains from traditional education models (e.g., see Bielefeldt, Paterson, & Swan, 2010). Additional attention also is being focused increasingly on the potential impacts of CE on student attitudes and identity (Paterson, Swan, & Guzak, 2012) as well as long-term impacts on students as they enter the professional ranks (Canney & Bielefeldt, 2012). It is in these areas that differences in the influence of CE may appear more profound, yet small numbers of student participants in various programs and a lack of coordinated assessment efforts provide limited evidence that such results exist. This chapter highlights the development of CE in engineering education and possible research endeavors that can be taken to shed new light on its potential impact.
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Apr 1, 2018
AbstractThis research explores the ethics education of engineering and computing students, report... more AbstractThis research explores the ethics education of engineering and computing students, reported by faculty, in light of diversity issues. A national online survey with approximately 1,400 respo...
This research explored faculty perspectives on the ethics and societal impacts (ESI) education of... more This research explored faculty perspectives on the ethics and societal impacts (ESI) education of electrical engineering (EE) students, in comparison to other engineering disciplines. An Input-Environment-Output model underpins the work, focusing on environmental factors (courses and co-curricular settings) that could influence students’ ESI knowledge. EE participation in the survey of engineering educators was lower than other disciplines (civil, mechanical, chemical), raising concerns about the culture around ESI education in EE. Instructors believed that the most common settings for ESI education of undergraduate EE students were senior capstone design and first-year introductory courses. Compared to other disciplines, fewer faculty believed that EE undergraduates were taught about ESI in sophomore/junior engineering/engineering science courses. The most common ESI topics taught to EE students were: professional practice issues, safety, and the societal impacts of technology. Fewer EE faculty taught sustainability and environmental protection issues compared to other disciplines. Within EE courses where faculty integrated ESI, the most common ESI teaching methods were engineering design, case studies, and examples of professional scenarios. Co-Curricular activities such as IEEE, honor societies and research may also contribute to the ESI education of EE students. Faculty are encouraged to integrate ESI issues into all of their courses and activities.
This paper introduces a new preparation technique, termed volume control (VC), which attempts to ... more This paper introduces a new preparation technique, termed volume control (VC), which attempts to achieve a pre-determined, preshear relative density (D rc ) for granular soil samples used in triaxial tests. This technique provides more controllable density conditions on the samples in triaxial tests than conventional methods that apply a target preshear effective confining stress. Thus, the VC technique allows for a clearer examination of a granular soil's behavior by allowing the user to control the effects of preshear relative density on the results. In contrast, conventional preparation methods which set a predetermined confining stress cannot control the relative density prior to shearing. The new volume control technique was used to investigate the undrained behavior of a sand prepared at a given preshear relative density (D rc ), to study the stress-strain, pore pressure, and strength behavior. A series of monotonic undrained compression triaxial tests were performed on a sand obtained from a Cape Cod beach in Massachusetts (CCS). The VC technique was used to control the D rc to 40, 70 or 95% with the final confining effective stresses for these samples ranging from 214 to 656 kPa. For validation and comparison, samples prepared by a stress control (SC) technique, the conventional method of performing triaxial tests on granular soils, was performed on samples with initial relative densities (D ri ), after the saturation phase of a triaxial test, in the range of 2.96 to 82.9%. These samples were consolidated isotropically to targeted effective confining stresses of 173, 345, and 690 kPa yielding D rc in the range of 43 to 111%. Study results show that both sample preparation techniques are valid, however, the bulk moduli and measured friction angle results from VC technique tests were more consistent than those prepared under the SC technique.
The stress–strain behavior of frozen Manchester fine sand has been measured in a high-pressure lo... more The stress–strain behavior of frozen Manchester fine sand has been measured in a high-pressure low-temperature triaxial compression testing system developed for this purpose. This system incorporates DC servomotor technology, lubricated end platens, and on-specimen axial strain devices. A parametric study has investigated the effects of changes in strain rate, confining pressure, sand density, and temperature on behavior for very small strains (0.001%) to very large (> 20%) axial strains. This paper presents constitutive behavior for strain levels up to 1%. On-specimen axial strain measurements enabled the identification of a distinct upper yield stress (knee on the stress–strain curve) and a study of the behavior in this region with a degree of precision not previously reported in the literature. The Young's modulus is independent of strain rate and temperature, increases slightly with sand density in a manner consistent with Counto's model for composite materials, and d...
This paper explores how sustainability issues have been integrated into the education of engineer... more This paper explores how sustainability issues have been integrated into the education of engineering and computing students, as one among many important macroethical issues. Based on surveys of educators focused primarily in the U.S., other Anglo countries, and Western Europe, 673 individuals reported teaching sustainability in their courses. These responses were examined for trends in teaching and assessment methods for ethics and societal impacts (ESI), and compared to those who teach ESI but not including sustainability. Follow-up interviews provided six more detailed examples of teaching practices specific to sustainability in courses where sustainability was a primary focus for integration. The results illustrate sustainability practices that include a macroethics lens, and could inspire educators to increase the integration of sustainability into their teaching.
Introduction There has been a recent surge in community engagement (CE) efforts in engineering ed... more Introduction There has been a recent surge in community engagement (CE) efforts in engineering education. These efforts have involved a spectrum of academic avenues – from curricular to co-curricular to extracurricular – that cover community-based projects in local to global settings. For example, many CE experiences can be embedded within courses in the traditional pedagogical form of service-learning, although in many cases CE activities are implemented and/or facilitated by nonacademic organizations, such as Engineers Without Borders (EWB). These activities continue to undergo increasing levels of design, management, and assessment, the latter driven, in part, by the outcomes assessment requirements for ABET engineering program accreditation in the United States, but also because of apparent positive impacts to student participants. Previous studies indicate that the knowledge and skills gained by the students are at least on par with gains from traditional education models (e.g., see Bielefeldt, Paterson, & Swan, 2010). Additional attention also is being focused increasingly on the potential impacts of CE on student attitudes and identity (Paterson, Swan, & Guzak, 2012) as well as long-term impacts on students as they enter the professional ranks (Canney & Bielefeldt, 2012). It is in these areas that differences in the influence of CE may appear more profound, yet small numbers of student participants in various programs and a lack of coordinated assessment efforts provide limited evidence that such results exist. This chapter highlights the development of CE in engineering education and possible research endeavors that can be taken to shed new light on its potential impact.
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Apr 1, 2018
AbstractThis research explores the ethics education of engineering and computing students, report... more AbstractThis research explores the ethics education of engineering and computing students, reported by faculty, in light of diversity issues. A national online survey with approximately 1,400 respo...
This research explored faculty perspectives on the ethics and societal impacts (ESI) education of... more This research explored faculty perspectives on the ethics and societal impacts (ESI) education of electrical engineering (EE) students, in comparison to other engineering disciplines. An Input-Environment-Output model underpins the work, focusing on environmental factors (courses and co-curricular settings) that could influence students’ ESI knowledge. EE participation in the survey of engineering educators was lower than other disciplines (civil, mechanical, chemical), raising concerns about the culture around ESI education in EE. Instructors believed that the most common settings for ESI education of undergraduate EE students were senior capstone design and first-year introductory courses. Compared to other disciplines, fewer faculty believed that EE undergraduates were taught about ESI in sophomore/junior engineering/engineering science courses. The most common ESI topics taught to EE students were: professional practice issues, safety, and the societal impacts of technology. Fewer EE faculty taught sustainability and environmental protection issues compared to other disciplines. Within EE courses where faculty integrated ESI, the most common ESI teaching methods were engineering design, case studies, and examples of professional scenarios. Co-Curricular activities such as IEEE, honor societies and research may also contribute to the ESI education of EE students. Faculty are encouraged to integrate ESI issues into all of their courses and activities.
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Papers by Chris Swan