2 Syllabus
This syllabus will be continuously updated throughout the course.
2.1 Course Description
The proliferation of low-cost and high-performing sensors has led to sensing in the built environment across a broad range of civil and environmental engineering applications. The applicability of such sensing technologies has been profoundly impacted by advancements in wireless communication and cloud computing, which have enabled the implementation of wireless sensing networks in structural, transportation, geotechnical and environmental systems, to name a few. This course conveys recent advancements that have led to technologies from across engineering disciplines becoming increasingly relevant (and available) to our field, and emphasizes the critical role that civil and environmental engineers must play in leveraging our domain knowledge to augment these advances. As a result, this course studies sensors from a physics-based perspective in which the development and use of sensors stems directly from principles of mechanics (i.e., how physical processes can be measured and filtered using electrical analog signals and then converted to digital information for interpretation), and builds upon this perspective to provide a better understanding of the “upstream” tasks of a sensing system (e.g., data interpretation and management). This course will cover the practical and theoretical knowledge of sensor technologies for implementation in civil and environmental infrastructure systems. This includes the fundamentals of measurement and instrumentation theory, fabrication, operation, and deployment of capacitive, resistive, inductive, piezoelectric, and microelectromechanical systems. The course also covers DC and AC circuit analysis, signal amplification, interface circuits, filter design, frequency analysis, and analog-to-digital converter architectures. This physics-based perspective on the topic prepares students to extrapolate how domain knowledge can be used beyond the sensors to interpret the data that they collect. Thus, the latter part of the course covers the implications of design choices in data interpretation and management tasks such as data compression, measurement error and database designs. Through a final project, students use their learned knowledge to develop a sensing system solution to solve problems rooted in civil and environmental engineering applications.
2.2 Policies
Here are the course’s policies
2.2.1 Assignments
A total of four assignments will be given out. The topics covered in each assignment will closely follow the ones listed in the schedule of classes.
All assignments are to be solved individually. Discussions and conversations with other students regarding the problem sets are encouraged. However, the final solutions along with the reasoning behind them need to come from you and be clearly explained in the submitted documents.
Lateness. All assignments have due dates indicated on the syllabus. In general, submitting assignments on time lets the instructional team provide feedback in a more timely and efficient manner. Assignments build on each other, so timely submissions are crucial to your progress in the class. However, sometimes life happens. If you cannot submit an assignment on time, the default will be that you will be eligible for 90% of the grade the first 48 hours that the assignment is late. If you have to submit beyond 48 hours past the due date, please contact me as soon as possible so we can make arrangements.
Each assignment will be worth 10%.
2.2.2 Group Projects
A large portion of the grades for the course will be based on a group project, which consists of a written report and a presentation.
2.2.3 Collaboration
Collaboration is expected within the limits of discussing concepts and problems. However, each student must produce his/her own solution to the problems. Copying from another student’s assignment is clearly plagiarism. Using information directly from websites, books, papers and other literary sources without appropriate attribution is also plagiarism. Assignments submitted for this class will be reviewed by the instructor and TA and may be scanned through web-based academic integrity software. Occurrences of cheating or plagiarism will be handled according to the university policy on Academic Integrity, https://www.cmu.edu/policies/documents/Academic%20Integrity.htm. Students are expected to have read this policy and conform to the highest standards of academic integrity. For incidents of academic misconduct, the University Academic Disciplinary Actions Policy, found at https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/theword/acad_standards/creative/disciplinary.html, will be followed.
2.2.4 Class Participation
Students are expected to be in class on time and participate in class discussions. Participation will be loosely monitored and used to calculate the participation grade. If you cannot make class, please inform your instructors and group members ahead of time. In class, students are expected to be courteous and respectful of the views and needs of other students and instructors.
2.2.5 Student with Disabilities
If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.
2.2.6 Posting of course materials
All the material used in the course (syllabus, readings, problem sets, reports) is intended for use in the class only. No unauthorized posting, publication or redistribution is expected. Uploading course materials to Course Hero or other web sites is not an authorized use of the course material.
2.2.7 Take care of yourself
In general, do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.
All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.
If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.