The aims of this course are to introduce students to the essentials of data analysis and interpretation, engineering experimentation, measurement techniques and principles of instrumentation. This course will particularly focus on: how to design experiments and how to analyse experimental data. The general characteristics of measurement system. Determining the validity of test equipment. Measurement of solid and fluid mechanical quantities. This course will be relevant to, and complement Year 2 labs.

(LO1) Knowledge and understanding of the general characteristics of measurement systems and the validity of measurements

(LO2) Knowledge and understanding  of the  measurement of solid mechanical quantities

(LO3) Knowledge and understanding of the measurement of fluid mechanical quantities

(LO4) Knowledge and understanding of  the use of appropriate statistical methods for analysis of experimental data

(LO5) Be able to plan and design experiments

(S1) Numeracy/computational skills - Problem solving

(S2) Numeracy/computational skills - Numerical methods

(S3) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Report writing

(S4) Planning and designing experiments

Introduction to Statistical analysis of experimental data and Probability: basic concepts in statistics and probability.
Probability Distributions: probability distribution functions, Normal (Gaussian), Poisson and Binomial distributions.
Parameter Estimation: confidence intervals, levels of significance, Student's t-test and Chi-squared.
Correlation of Experimental Data: least squares, methods for rejecting outliers and curve fitting.
Planning and Documenting Experiments: experimental design and documentation of experiments.
Introduction to measurement systems: measurement systems, validity, errors, calibration, ISO standards, and dynamics measurements.
Measurement of solid mechanical quantities: measuring strain, displacement, force and angular and linear velocity, acceleration and vibration.
Measurements of pressure and temperature: devices for measurement of pressure, temperature.
Measurement of fluid mechanical quantities: flowmeters for me asuring fluid flow rate, laser Doppler effect for fluid velocity and measurement of fluid level.

Teaching Method 1 – Synchronous teaching sessions weekly using Teams or Zoom to replace lectures, supplemented by provision of asynchronous self-study materials in Vital

Teaching Method 2 - Laboratory Work
Description: Investigation of a Spring Mechanism
Attendance Recorded: Yes

The synchronous teaching sessions, and asynchronous provision of self-study materials, are to replace conventional lectures, used to cover key topics around statistical analysis and instrumentation for engineering. The lab allows students to practice calibration and use of a load cell and LVDT.
These learning and teaching methods will be used for hybrid delivery, with social distancing on campus, as planned for semester 1. The following changes may be required in response to circumstances:
(b) fully online delivery and assessment, (i.e. if full lockdown is necessary): The on-campus lab work will be stopped and whenever possible replaced by a video or similar and provision of pre-prepared datasets and experimental results for analysis and report-writing.
(c) standard on-campus delivery with minimal social distancing: The synchronous Teams/Zoom remote teaching sessions may return to being on-campus lectures.