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.
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