Engineering Mechanics

200 | 300 | 400 | Graduate Courses

(Administered by the Department of Aerospace Engineering)
Tom l-P Shih, Chair of Department
Distinguished Professors: R. B. Thompson
Distinguished Professors (Emeritus): D. Thompson, Young
Professors: Chandra, Chimenti, Holger, Inger, Lu, McDaniel, Pierson, Rajagopalan, Rothmayer,
Rudolphi, Schmerr, Shih, Tannehill, Tsai, Zachary
Professors (Emeritus): Akers, Greer, Iversen, Jenison, McConnell, Munson, Rizzo, Rogge, Rohach, Weiss, Wilson
Professors (Adjunct): Hsu
Associate Professors: Dayal, Hilliard, Hindman, Kelkar, Mitra, Sarkar, Sherman, Sturges, Wang
Associate Professors (Emeritus): Hermann, Seversike, Trulin, Vogel
Associate Professors (Adjunct): Biner, Cox, Inanc, Roberts
Associate Professors (Collaborators): Flatau
Assistant Professors: Bastawros, Haan, Hu, Jacobson
Assistant Professors (Adjunct): Byrd, Gray, Legg
Assistant Professors (Collaborators): Chavez, Wolter
Lecturer: Schaefer, Haugli

Undergraduate Study

The undergraduate courses in mechanics are intermediate between those in physics and mathematics and the professional and design courses of the several engineering curricula. In these courses the student is expected to acquire an understanding of the basic principles and analysis techniques pertaining to the static and dynamic behavior of rigid media, deformable solids, fluids, and gasses. Physical properties of engineering materials are studied in the classroom and are tested in the laboratory. General physical laws are given mathematical expression and are made suitable for use in the solution of specific problems in machine and structural design, and in the flow and measurement of fluids.

Graduate Study

The department offers work for the degrees master of science, master of engineering, and doctor of philosophy with major in engineering mechanics, and minor work to students taking major work in other departments.

The master of science degree requires a thesis and a minimum of 8 research credits. It has strong research emphasis and is recommended for students who anticipate entering a doctoral program later. At least 30 credits of acceptable graduate work are required for the degree.

The master of engineering degree does not require either research credits or a thesis. However, at least two credits of acceptable creative component and at least 26 credits of acceptable graduate coursework are required. A minimum of 30 credits of acceptable graduate work is required for the degree. The program is intended to give students additional instruction at the graduate level to better qualify them for advanced professional engineering work. By careful selection of electives and perhaps additional courses during the senior undergraduate year, students should be able to qualify for the master of engineering degree with an additional year of full-time study after receiving their baccalaureate degree in one of the several engineering curricula.

Credits for creative component will be obtained by registering for E M 599. A written report and an oral presentation will be given to the student's graduate committee.

The normal Prerequisite to major graduate work is the completion of a curriculum substantially equivalent to that required of undergraduate students in engineering at this university. However, because of the diversity of interests in graduate work in engineering mechanics, it is possible for a student to qualify for graduate study even though undergraduate or prior graduate training has been in a discipline other than engineering-e.g., physics or mathematics.

Courses open for nonmajor graduate credit: All 300- and 400-level courses except 490.

Courses primarily for undergraduate students

E M 274. Statics of Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: Credit or enrollment in Math 166; credit or enrollment in Phys 111 or 221. Vector and scalar treatment of coplanar and noncoplanar force systems. Resultants, equilibrium, friction, centroids, second moments of areas, principal second moments of area, radius of gyration, internal forces, shear and bending moment diagrams.
H. Honors. F.S.

E M 324. Mechanics of Materials. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: 274. Plane stress, plane strain, stress- strain relationships, and elements of material behavior. Application of stress and deformation analysis to members subject to centric, torsional, flexural, and combined loadings. Elementary considerations of theories of failure, buckling. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 327. Mechanics of Materials Laboratory. (0-2) Cr. 1. F.S.SS. Prereq: Credit or enrollment in 324. Experimental determination of mechanical properties of selected engineering materials. Experimental verification of assumptions made in 324. Use of strain measuring devices. Preparation of reports. Students who are not present for the first laboratory meeting of their own sections may qualify for continuation in the course only by attending the first laboratory meeting of some other section of the course. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 345. Dynamics. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: 274, credit or enrollment in Math 266 or 267. Particle and rigid body kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, kinetics of plane motion, rigid body problems using work-energy, linear, and angular impulse-momentum principles, vibrations. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 350. Introduction to Nondestructive Evaluation Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 324, Math 266 or 267, Phys 222. The physics of ultrasonic, eddy current, and x-ray testing. Introduction to linear system concepts, wave propagation, electromagnetics and radiation. Models of the generation, scattering and reception of waves in ultrasonics, the electrical impedance changes of eddy current testing, and image formation process for x-rays. Pattern recognition methods for the interpretation of measured responses. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 362. Principles of Nondestructive Testing. (Same as Mat E 362.) See Materials Engineering. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 362L. Nondestructive Testing Laboratory. (Same as Mat E 362L.) See Materials Engineering. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 378. Mechanics of Fluids. (2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.SS. Prereq: 274. Properties of fluids. Fluid statics. Kinematics and kinetics of fluid flow. Mass, momentum, and energy conservation laws; dimensional analysis; flow in pipes and channels. Selected laboratory experiments. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 417. Experimental Mechanics. (Same as Aer E 417.) (2-2) Cr. 3. Alt. F.. offered 2006. Prereq: 324. Introduction of different aspects of measuring deformation, strain, and stress for practical engineering problems. Strain gage theory and application. Selected laboratory experiments. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 424. Intermediate Mechanics of Materials. (3-0) Cr. 3. F.S. Prereq: 324. Analysis of stresses, strains, and deflections. Torsion and bending of unsymmetrical members. Analysis of thick wall pressure vessels and shrink fit problems. Dynamic load effects, fatigue and fracture mechanics introduction. Work-strain energy methods. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 425. Introduction to the Finite Element Method. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 324, Math 266 or 267. Introduction of finite element analysis through applications to one-dimensional, steady-state problems such as elastic deformation, heat and fluid flow, consolidation, beam bending, and mass transport. Transient heat conduction and wave propagation. Two-dimensional triangular and quadrilateral elements. Plane problems of torsion, thermal and potential flow, stress analysis. Simple computer programs for one- and two-dimensional problems. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 444. Mechanical Vibrations. (2-2) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 324, 345. Elementary vibration analysis, single and multiple degrees of freedom, energy methods, free and forced vibrations, viscous damping, transmissibility, matrix methods, modal analysis. Selected laboratory experiments. Numerical methods of solution. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 451. Engineering Acoustics. (Same as M E 451.) (2-2) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Phys 221 and Math 266 or 267. Sound sources and propagation. Noise standards and effects of noise on people. Principles of noise and vibration control used in architectural and engineering design. Characteristics of basic noise measurement equipment. Experience in use of noise measuring equipment, sound power measurements, techniques for performing noise surveys, evaluation of various noise abatement techniques applied to common noise sources. Selected laboratory experiments. Nonmajor graduate credit.

E M 490. Independent Study. Cr. arr. Prereq: Permission of instructor.
H. Honors

Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduate students

E M 510. Continuum Mechanics. (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Math 385. Introduction to Cartesian tensors as linear vector transformations. Kinematics of continuous deformations, Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions of motion. Fundamental equations or balance laws of continuous media, linear and angular momentum balance. Conservation laws of momentum and energy. Introduction to constitutive equations of classical elastic solids and simple fluids. Formulations and solutions of some canonical problems.

E M 514. Advanced Mechanics of Materials. (Same as Aer E 514.) (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 324. Theory of stress and strain, stress-strain relationships. Unsymmetrical bending, curved beams, shear center. Torsion of thin-walled noncircular sections. Equilibrium, compatibility equations. Airy stress functions. Membrane stresses in shells, thick-walled cylinders.

E M 516. Mechanics of Deformable Solids. (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: E M 510. Fundamental mechanics of linear elasticity, formulation and solution of simple elastostatic boundary value problems. Kinematics of small deformations, constitutive equations for isotropic and anisotropic media. Field equations for elastic solids, plane strain/plane stress and some classic canonical solutions. Constitutive models of inelastic/plastic solids and selected problems of elastoplasticiy, contact mechanics, fracture mechanics and defects in crystalline solids.

E M 517. Experimental Mechanics. (Same as Aer E 517.) (3-1) Cr. 4. Alt. S., offered 2007. Prereq: E M 510 or 514 or 516. Fundamental concepts for force, displacement, stress, and strain measurements. Strain gages. Full field deformation measurements with laser interferometry and digital image processing. Advanced experimental concepts at the micro and nano scale regimes.

E M 518. Waves in Elastic Solids with Applications to Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation. (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: Math 385. Propagation of bulk waves, surface waves, and guided waves in isotropic and anisotropic elastic media. Transmission and reflection of waves at plane and curved interfaces. Radiation of sources with application to ultrasonic transducer beam modeling. Elastic wave scattering from cracks and inclusions. Reciprocity principles and their use in the development of an ultrasonic measurement model. Characterization and measurement of material attenuation.

E M 525. Finite Element Analysis. (Same as Aer E 525.) (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 425, Math 385. Variational and weighted residual approach to finite element equations. Emphasis on two- and three- dimensional problems in solid mechanics. Isoparametric element formulation, higher order elements, numerical integration, imposition of constraints and penalty, convergence, and other more advanced topics. Use of two- and three-dimensional computer programs. Dynamic and vibrational problems, eigenvalues, and time integration. Introduction to geometric and material nonlinearities.

E M 526. Boundary Element Methods in Engineering. (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered 2006. Prereq: 514 or 516. Introductory boundary element methods through plane problems. Singular integrals, Cauchy principal values, integral representations and boundary integrals in one dimension. Direct and indirect formulations. Plane potential and elastostatic problems. Higher order elements, numerical integration. Regularizations. Body forces and infinite regions. Specialized fundamental solutions, half-plane and axisymmetric problems. Diffusion and wave problems. Coupling with finite elements.

E M 543. Introduction to Random Vibrations and Nonlinear Dynamics. (Same as M E 543.) (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered 2007. Prereq: 444. Vibrations of continuous systems. Nonlinear vibration phenomena, perturbation expansions; methods of multiple time scales and slowly-varying amplitude and phase. Characteristics of random vibrations; random processes, probability distributions, spectral density and its significance, the normal or Gaussian random process. Transmission of random vibration, response of simple single and two-degree-of-freedom systems to stationary random excitation. Fatigue failure due to random excitation.

E M 548. Advanced Engineering Dynamics. (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., ofered 2006. Prereq: 345, Math 266 or 267. 3-D kinematics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies. Coordinate systems, calculus of variations. Lagrange's equations with constraints, modified Euler's equations, torque-free motion of rigid bodies in 3-D, moment equations with constraints.

E M 550. Fundamentals of Nondestructive Evaluation. (Same as M S E 550.) (3-2) Cr. 4. S. Prereq: 324, Math 385. Principles of five basic NDE methods and their application in engineering inspections. Materials behavior and simple failure analysis. NDE reliability, and damage-tolerant design. Advanced methods such as acoustic microscopy, laser ultrasonics, thermal waves, computed tomography, and thermoelectrics are analyzed. Laboratory experiments on all basic methods: ultrasonics, eddy currents, x-ray, liquid penetrants, magnetic testing, and visual inspection are performed.

E M 552. Advanced Acoustics. (Same as M E 552.) (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered 2005. Prereq: 451. Theoretical acoustics: wave propagation in fluids; acoustic radiation, diffraction and scattering; and architectural acoustics. Applications of basic acoustic theory in noise control and acoustic radiation. Introduction to selected numerical methods in acoustics.

E M 564. Fracture and Fatigue. (Same as M S E 564 and M E 564.) (3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: 324 and either Mat E 211 or 272. Undergraduates: Permisison of instructor. Materials and mechanics approach to fracture and fatigue. Fracture mechanics, brittle and ductile fracture, fracture and fatigue characteristics, fracture of thin films and layered structures. Fracture and fatigue tests, mechanics and materials designed to avoid fracture or fatigue.

E M 569. Mechanics of Composite and Combined Materials. (Same as M S E 569 and Aer E 569.) (3- 0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered 2006. Prereq: 324. Mechanics of fiber-reinforced materials. Micromechanics of lamina. Macromechanical behavior of lamina and laminates. Strength and interlaminar stresses of laminates. Failure criteria. Stress analysis of laminates. Thermal moisture and residual stresses. Joints in composites.

E M 570. Wind Engineering. (Same as Aer E 570.) (3-0) Cr. 3. F. Prereq: 378, 345. Atmospheric circulations, atmospheric boundary layer wind, bluff- body aerodynamics, aeroelastic phenomena, wind-tunnel and full-scale testing, wind-load code and standards, effect of tornado and thunderstorm winds, design applications.

E M 590. Special Topics. Cr. 1 to 4 each time taken. Prereq: Permission of instructor. F. Introduction to Dislocation and Plasticity
H. Mechanics of Thin Films and Adhesives
I. Mechanics of Cellular and Porous Media
J. Other

E M 599. Creative Component. Cr. arr.

Courses for Graduate students

E M 690. Special Topics. Credit 1 to 6 each time taken. Prereq: Permission of instructor. N. Advanced Experimental Methods
O. Advanced Wave Propagation
P. Advanced Materials
Q. Advanced Computational Methods
R. Reliability and Failure
S. Other

E M 697. Engineering Internship. Cr. R. Prereq: Permission of DOGE (Director of Graduate Education), graduate classification. One semester and one summer maximum per academic year professional work period. Offered on a satisfactory-fail grading basis only.

E M 699. Research.