Problem Sets: 10 problem sets are given to help you better understand the course material.   Problem sets are downloadable from the "Schedule" section.

Computational Assignment: You will need to use some commercial CAD/CAE packages.  You will be also asked to write your own computer programs in C/C++/Java/Matlab/Python.  Computers are available in the MechE Computer Cluster (HH-C101) and other public computer clusters..
Individual Effort: The solutions to all the problem sets that you hand in should be generated by your individual effort.  It is ok to discuss the approach to problems with other students, but the submitted solutions and CAD/CAE data files must be your own work and should not be copied from someone else. 
Late Policy for Problem Sets:  30% off for one day, 60% off for two days, and no credit afterward.  For example, suppose that the due date is 12:30pm Wed  afternoon; you will lose 30% by handing it in Thu morning and 60% Fri morning.
Note: Everyone is given three no-penalty late days. You may submit three Problem Sets one day late with no late penalty, or one Problem Set one day late and another Problem Set two day late with no penalty. Just indicate on the cover page how many no-penalty late days you would like to use for each problem set.

Project:  There will be a group project toward the end of the semester.

Late Policy for Project Reports:  No credit for late Project Reports. 

Hand-in Directory:  Hand in your solutions to the problem sets by the beginning of the class on the due date.  For some problem sets your work should be uploaded to one of the following AFS directories by the same due date and time:
    /afs/andrew.cmu.edu/ course/24/682/handin-1/your_email_account 

Grade Correction: Please review your graded paper right after it is returned to you to make sure that there is no error in grading.  If you find a grading error, you need to let the instructor know as soon as possible but no later than a week from the date your paper is ready to be picked up.  The grade may not be corrected after one week.

Textbook Reading: Reading assignments are given occasinally .  Check the schedule section regularly for each week's reading assignment.  

In-Class Assignments: During the lecture time, short (5-10min) in-class assignments will be given.  This allows you to reflect on what has been covered in the recent lectures and reading assignments and to check your understanding of the material.  It also gives the instructor a chance to detect and point out typical mistakes so you will be better prepared for quizzes.  There will be 10 to 20 sets of such in-class assignments throughout the semester.   The class participation credit (10% of the total grade) will be given partly based on how many in-class assignments you submit. 
Note: As long as you submit 75% or more in-class assignments you will get the full attendance credit.  However if you submit only 50% of the in-class assignments you will get only 50% of the attendance credit.  The 25% tolerance is intended to cover all personal needs that may come up during the semester including interviews, illness, laziness, etc. 

A missed quiz counts as zero credit unless you get permission in advance from the instructor.  If you are sick a note from the student health center is required.  A make-up quiz may not be of the same difficulty as the in-class quiz.   The instructor can also give an oral make-up quiz instead. 

Time management is a critical factor to your academic success, as to any professional environment.  Being a 12-unit course, it is expected that each student will devote at least 12 hours a week to: (1) reading assignments, (2) attending lectures, (3) completing problem sets, (4) reviewing lecture materials, and (5) preparing for quizzes.

Your final grade will be determined by an absolute method of grading.   This is to allow you to obtain a grade based on your individual performance without having to compete with others.  It is thus possible for the whole class to get an A grade or in the other case for the whole class to get a C grade.  (Of course we hope that you all will work hard and get an A!)  The final letter grade ranges are:  

A: 100-90%    B: 90-80%   C: 80-70%    D: 70-60%

The evaluation of your work in the course will be based on the following distribution:

The following is the description of the project that you will be working on toward the end of this course.  You will be working in a group with two other students.

• Schedule

3/30 (Wed) 12:30 PM: One-page proposal due

4/13 (Wed) 12:30 PM: Interim report due

4/25 (Mon) 11:00 AM: Project presentation files due

4/25 (Mon) and 4/27 (Wed)): Project presentations

4/29 (Fri) 5:00 PM: Project final report due

• The project will count 15% of the total grade.  Please "design" the difficulty and scope of your project so that you will spend the time and effort that you would spend for approximately three Problem Sets.

• You can choose either a "Survey Project" or a "Programming Project."

  • In a Survey Project, you are asked to find at least 12 technical papers on your topic from conference proceedings and technical journals. Read these papers, summarize problems, categorize previously proposed approaches, discuss the pros and cons of each approach, give discussion and observation. and wrap up with future directions that you think might be promising.

  • In a Programming Project, you are asked to define a problem (just like in a Problem Set), write a code, show the results with several test cases, and wrap up with discussion and observation. Define your programming task so that the difficulty and the coverage of your project is appropriate, that is, approximately three times of programming assignments in Problem Sets.

• How you proceed:

Step 1: Think about topics related to CAE that you are interested in. Find two other students who share similar interests.

Step 2: Choose the type of your project, Survey Project or Programming Project.

Step 3: Write and hand in a one-page proposal (Due: 3/30 (Wed) 12:30 PM). This is to give the instructor a chance to offer you feedback on your topic if it seems too easy or too tough. (You can later change the description of the proposal with the permission from the instructor.) Include the following items in your proposal.

Group member names

Project Title

Project Type: "Survey" or "Programming"

Mission Statement: Describe the goal and coverage of your project.

Background Information: Explain why your team is interested in this problem. Also give some background, for example, if this is a part of one of the members' senior project, MS project, or Ph.D. project.

Step 4: Work hard for a couple of weeks and submit an interim report as a printout of a PowerPoint file, or a PDF file, by 4/13 (Wed) 12:30PM.  Create under your team's hand-in AFS directory and upload the interim report and other files that show the progress of your team's work.  

Step 5: Work on the project presentation files and the final report.  You may submit as many files (stl, wrl, images, and video files) as you like in your project directory. Your presentation and final report should include the following information:

Survey Project: problem summary, classification of previous approaches, discussion of pros and cons of each approach, discussion and observation, and a list of the references. Also hand in one copy of all the reference papers.

Programming Project: problem summary, description of your algorithms, results of some test cases, and discussion and observation. Hand in your source code.  

Step 6: Project Presentation: 4/25 (Mon) 4/27 (Wed). Each team has 20 minutes to present its project and answer questions. Hand in all of your project presentation files by 4/25 (Mon) 11:00PM on your AFS hand-in directory.

Step 7: Submit the final project report by 4/29 (Fri) 5:00PM.