Course FAQ

1. Is this a course for me?

Normally it starts the first Monday / working day in January at 9:00, and ends Friday three weeks later, after 15 full working days (9:00-17:00). But sometimes the dates are different, so check the Academic Year (under "Fall" / "3-week period in January") for the year in question to be sure.

b) I can't show up the first course day(s); can I attend and pass the course anyway?

See 3b,c below.

c) What about lectures? - How are the course days going to be?

You won't learn experimental mechanics by sitting in a classroom listening to lectures, so there are very few of these: One the first day as a course intro, and in some years maybe a guest lecture later in the course. By far the most of your time will be reserved for doing exercises in the lab. in teams of 2-6 students, for reading exercise instruction and background material, and for writing up exercise reports.

d) I haven't completed the (preferred) prerequisite course in Mechanical Vibrations - Can I attend anyway?

Yes, but since some of the course exercises involve vibration measurements, you will have to put extra efforts into acquiring a bit of theoretical knowledge in this area. The course book contains material just for this purpose. Usually about half of the course participants haven't completed a course in Mechanical Vibrations. [Actually I have come to believe that Experimental solid Mechanics is a splendid course to have before Mechanical Vibrations, since then you will already have acquired some practical understanding of what all the equations on the blackboard are supposed to model.]

 

e) I am a prospective international student, could you tell me something about living in Denmark and studying at DTU?

See DTU's Information for international students.

f) I don't speak Danish - can I attend the course?

If you have a good command of spoken and written English, yes. All written course material is in English, as are the oral instructions to teams with international students. typically 1/5-1/2 of the students don't speak Danish.

g) Exams?

During the course you will write reports on lab.-exercises. These reports must be hand in for evaluation and grading no later than the first Monday after course end.

h) Alternatives?

Consider course 11331 which has a similar aim, runs in the same period, share about half of the exercises, and can substitute 41811 on the list of General Compentence Courses in study plans.

 

2. During the sign-up period

No, I'm sorry. You should use DTU Inside signing up, or contact the study office if this is not possible.

b) If the course is oversubscribed, what can I do to attend anyway?

You can't do anything. The study office is drawing lot among a subset of the students initially signed up. They do this according to rules detailed in the study handbook (cf. Rules and Regulations, §2.3, and the teachers have no influence on this process. But consider the alternative of signing up for course 11331, which has a similar aim, runs in the same period, share about half of the exercises, and can substitute 41811 on the list of General Compentence Courses in study plans.

c) The course is oversubscribed and I didn't gain a place, but is on the list of reserves; what should I do?

Please show up at course start. If there are surely going to be no vacant places (i.e. you are number n on the list of the reserves having showed up, and less than n signed students have not showed up), then you can just leave again. If there seems to be vacant places, you may have to wait to 13:00 before being given one, since signed students may keep their gained places until four hours after course start (cf. the Study Handbook, Rules and Regulations, §2.3).

3. Signed up, awaiting course start

a) Textbooks and other course material?

You will need the book DTU course 41811: Experimental Solid Mechanics - Exercise Instructions & Compendium. It will be available in DTU's Bookshop in Building 101 no later than the first course day; the price is about DKK 200. Typically the book is available a couple of weeks before Christmas, but be sure that the one you receive is the correct edition: At the inside front page, it should be labeled "January 20xx", and xx should be the year you attend the course.

b) I can't show up the first course day, or will be late - Can I attend anyway?

If the course is oversubscribed, and you have not shown up at 13 o'clock on the day of course start, then your place on the course may be given to a student on the list of reserves  (cf. Study Handbook, cf. Rules and Regulations §2.3), unless you give prior notice of your absence. Usually several students are eager to take up vacant course places, so it is very important - if you cannot show up at course start - to send an e-mail to the course responsible teacher, telling when you will show up.

c) I can't show up some of the other course days - Can I attend anyway?

You are expected to show up at the days of scheduled course activities, i.e. the course introduction (first course day), the lab.-exercises (five days), and guest lectures / excursions if any. The introduction is always the first course day, while the first exercise is the second or third course day, depending on the exercise team you are on.Rules for absence from lab.-exercises: This is a practical lab.-course, and your course outcome is evaluated on basis of not only the course report, but also the presence at lab.-exercises. Two of the eight learning objectives of the course can only be achieved by physical presence at labs. If you hand-in a report on a lab.-exercise you haven't attended (for whatever reason; it doesn't matter), but using measured data from your team, then the grade for this particular report (there are five in total) can be at most 00 (zero). This reflects that 1) gaining practical experience is essential in this course and you can never demonstrate that by even the most perfect report writing, and 2) that a student should not be able to pass this course without showing up at any of the exercises.

4. During the course period

a) How can I share data (e.g. pictures, graphs, tables, etc.) with my team mates?

Use the DTU Inside course subgroup set up for your team. Raw data are considered the collective property of the team, and can be freely shared. However, further processing and analysis of raw data is considered the original property of the individual student, and cannot be shared unless explicit reference is given to the creator of the material.

b) Any particular dress code?

At days planned for exercises you will be doing practical lab.-work, so be sure to wear clothes that can stand up to a bit of dirt, grease, and chemicals.

c) Schedule changes

Will be announced via DTU Inside messages.

 

d) I can't finish my course report in time (for this and this reason); can I deliver it later?

We only evaluate what you have delivered at the deadline given for report hand-in, common to all students. So, to maximize your grade you should hand-in your report in time, whether finished or not.

 

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