Use of Mathcad as a teaching and learning tool for reinforced concrete design of footings

Owing to their nature, numerous and complex equations are commonly used in the design of reinforced concrete structures. This is because of the nature of reinforced concrete design. Mathcad, which possesses efficient computation and presentation capabilities, holds strong potential as a teaching tool and learning aid for education and training. This article demonstrates the use of Mathcad to supplement and enhance traditional teaching and learning methods for reinforced concrete design. The article, which focuses on the topic of foundation design, demonstrates a Mathcad program for the design of combined footings and shows its impact as a teaching and learning tool. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 7: 146–154, 1999