Teaching Modal Analysis - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words and Multimedia is Better Yet! - ASEE 1999

P.Avitabile

Teaching complex concepts related to modal analysis (both analytical and experimental topics) to undergraduate students can be quite difficult. The student must be familiar with a wide range of different subjects - some of which he has forgotten and others he may have never taken. In addition to traditional topics, the student must become familiar with vastly new and diverse subject matter.

In order to expose undergraduate students to experimental modal analysis to support capstone design projects and other related projects, a simplified approach is necessary. Complex mathematical concepts can be easily illustrated using detailed pictures where color becomes an extremely important contribution. These concepts can be further explained through the use of multimedia format presentations. Multimedia provides a mechanism for students to review material as often as needed to fully understand complex concepts. This paper addresses some of these issues through the use of some typical teaching examples used.

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