Theoretical Mechanics is a core foundational course for civil engineering majors. Built upon the knowledge systems of statics, kinematics, and dynamics, it investigates the laws of mechanical motion and the principles of force equilibrium in objects. The course not only serves as the bedrock for subsequent professional courses such as Mechanics of Materials and Structural Mechanics, but also provides essential theoretical support for stress analysis, safety design, and failure evaluation of engineering structures in buildings, bridges, and geotechnics. Ultimately, it helps students develop professional mechanics-oriented thinking and solidifies their core competencies for both engineering practice and advanced studies.

Syllabus

1 Concepts of Statics and Force Analysis of Bodies

1-1 Introduction to Theoretical Mechanics and Axioms of Statics
1-2 Common Constraints in Engineering and Determination of Constraint Force Directions
1-3 Force Analysis and Free-Body Diagrams

2 Fundamental Force Systems

2-1 Moment of a Force About a Point and About an Axis
2–2 Couples and the Moment of a Couple
2–3 Resultant and Equilibrium Conditions of a System of Couples

3 General Force Systems

3- 1 Reduction of a General Force System and Analysis of Its Resultant
3-2 Equilibrium of General Force Systems
3–3 Examples of Equilibrium Problems for a Single Body

4 Equilibrium Problems of Rigid Body Systems

4-1 Examples of Equilibrium Problems for a System of Bodies
4-2 Sliding Friction, Friction Angle, and Self-Locking
4-3 The Concept of Rolling Resistance and Equilibrium Problems with Friction

5 Kinematics Basics

5-1 Vector Method, Rectangular Coordinate Method, and Natural Method for Describing the Motion of a Point
5-2 Translation and Fixed-Axis Rotation of Rigid Bodies

6 Composite Motion of Points

6-1 Fundamental Concepts of the Composition of Motions of Points
6-2 Examples of Theorem of Composition of Velocities for Points
6-3 Theorem of Composition of Accelerations of a Point When the Transport Motion Is Translation
6-4 Theorem of Composition of Accelerations of a Point When the Transport Motion Is Rotation——Coriolis Acceleration

7 Plane Motion of Rigid Bodies

7-1 Planar Motion of Rigid Bodies and Velocity Analysis
7- 2 Instantaneous Center Method for Finding Velocity
7- 3 Base Point Method for Finding Acceleration

8 Dynamics Basics

8-1 Newton’s Three Laws and the Two Basic Types of Problems in Particle Dynamics
8-2 Basic Inertial Characteristics of a System of Particles and the Parallel-Axis Theorem