Introduction of Applied Mechanics

Applied mechanics is a branch of the physical sciences and the practical application of mechanics. Applied mechanics examines the response of bodies (solids and fluids) or systems of bodies to external forces. Some examples of mechanical systems include the flow of a liquid under pressure, the fracture of a solid from an applied force, or the vibration of an ear in response to sound. A practitioner of the discipline is known as a mechanician.

Applied mechanics, as its name suggests, bridges the gap between physical theory and its application to technology. As such, applied mechanics is used in many fields of engineering, especially mechanical engineering. In this context, it is commonly referred to as engineering mechanics.

Much of modern engineering mechanics is based on Isaac Newton's laws of motion while the modern practice of their application can be traced back to Stephen Timoshenko, who is said to be the father of modern engineering mechanics.

Typically, engineering mechanics is used to analyze and predict the acceleration and deformation (both elastic and plastic) of objects under known forces (also called loads) or stresses.

When treated as an area of study within a larger engineering curriculum, engineering mechanics can be subdivided into :

ü  Statics, the study of non-moving bodies under known loads.

ü  Dynamics (or kinetics), the study of how forces affect moving bodies.

ü  Mechanics of materials or strength of materials, the study of how different materials deform under various types of stress.

ü  Deformation mechanics, the study of deformations typically in the elastic range.

ü  Fluid Mechanics, the study of how fluids react to forces. Note that fluid mechanics can be further split into fluid statics and fluid dynamics, and is itself a sub- discipline of continuum mechanics. The application of fluid mechanics in engineering is called hydraulics.