2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Graphical representation of forces and moments acting on a structure, and understanding their spatial significance, are two of the biggest challenges students encounter in a statics course. The complexity of the issue increases for 3D problems, which require students to visualize the directions of force projections and the moments or rotation they cause about 3D cartesian axes. This study investigates students’ perception when using 3D digital models to solve common 3D statics problems. The 3D digital models were created using TinkerCAD software to help students visualize 3D statics problems along with their corresponding forces. Students were able to translate and rotate these 3D digital models within a web browser. A think-aloud protocol followed by semi-structured interviews was used to gather students’ cognitive process and perceptions of solving 3D statics problems both with and without the 3D digital models. Four interviews were conducted, and each interviewee solved two 3D statics problems under two different conditions while voicing their thought processes. In the first condition, the interviewee was provided with the problem statement and a perspective drawing of the problem. In the second situation, the interviewee was given both the problem statement and the perspective drawing, along with the 3D digital models. The transcript of the interview data was coded and analyzed by focusing on students’ cognitive processes and perceptions. Data gathered from this analysis were compared between the two conditions, collectively and individually, by examining how the interviewees gathered information, identified its significance, made decisions, and explained their rationale. The results suggest that students perceive 3D digital models as helpful and may assist in reducing the cognitive load for visualization and in increasing their confidence when solving the problems.