2.086 Class Home

2.086 Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers

Spring 2011

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Temperature field in an idealized railroad rail cross-section during a transient heat treatment process.

Instructors: Justin C T Kao, Anthony T Patera, Henrik Schmidt

TAs: James Douglass Penn, Masayuki Yano

Lecture: TR 2.30-4 PM; Rm 3-270 (AT Patera)
Lab 1: M 11 AM - 2 PM; Rm 14-0637 (J Kao, M Yano)
Lab 2: M 2-5 PM; Rm 1-115 (J Kao, J Penn, H Schmidt)
Lab 3: W 2-5 PM; Rm 1-115 (M Yano)
Lab 4: F 11 AM - 2 PM; Rm 14-0637 (J Penn)

Information:

Introduction to programming concepts including variable types, data structures, flow control. Numerical methods relevant to MechE including approximation (interpolation, statistical regression); integration; solution of linear and nonlinear equations, eigenproblems, ordinary differential equations, partial differential equations. Deterministic and probabilistic methods. Examples from MechE including lumped and continuum models from solid and fluid mechanics, heat transfer; dynamics and control; design and manufacturing. Assignments requiring MATLAB programming.

Announcements

Assignment 11: on plotting T_min vs. tau_heat

For assignment 11, question 6, please note that your heating is applied for a discrete number of time steps. Effectively that, your values of tau_heat are discretized by the time step Delta t. Therefore, in order to obtain a smooth plot (and avoid discretization errors), you should choose values of Delta t and tau_heat such that the plotting increment, Delta tau_heat, is significantly larger than the timestep Delta t.

Best,
Justin

Announced on 09 May 2011 3:05 p.m. by Justin C T Kao

Professor Schmidt - extended office hours today

Hi all:

This is a quick note to let you know that Professor Schmidt will be holding extended office hours today (Monday, 9 May) from 3-5 pm.

Best,

...Debbie

Announced on 09 May 2011 9:58 a.m. by Debra R Blanchard

Next week in 2.086

Hi all:

There will be no 2.086 labs next week. Recall that Assignment 11 is due on Thursday, May 12, at 2:30PM; please upload to Stellar and also deliver hardcopy to Debbie Blanchard in 3-264.

Also, there will be no lectures next week (on either Tuesday or Thursday). However, in lieu of lecture on Tuesday, May 10, Professor Patera will hold extended office hours, from 2:30-5:00, for anybody who might have questions on
Assignment 11. And in lieu of lecture on Thursday, May 12, Professor Patera will hold extended office hours, from 2:30-5:00, for any students who may have more general questions about numerical methods in the context of UROP or thesis projects. These extended office hours will take place in Professor Patera's office, 3-266; however, if the group is large we can always move next door to 3-270.

Best.

...Debbie

Announced on 05 May 2011 9:50 a.m. by Debra R Blanchard

Elliptic PDEs --- Rayleigh-Ritz Errata

Hi all:

This is in regards to the lecture notes, Elliptic_PDEs_RayleighRitz_2010.pdf, that is part of the zipped set of notes under Unit 7. We have uploaded errata on Stellar to replace page 5.

Best,

...Debbie

Announced on 04 May 2011 10:03 a.m. by Debra R Blanchard

Spring 2011 Online Subject Evaluations

Hi all:

I'm writing to let you know that the Spring 2011 Online Subject Evaluations (http://web.mit.edu/subjectevaluation) opens today, Tuesday, May 3, at 9am. You will have until Monday, May 16, at 9am to complete the surveys for 2.086.

Best,

...Debbie

Announced on 04 May 2011 9:48 a.m. by Debra R Blanchard

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