Mechanics Of Materials Civil Engineering
Silvina Spindler
Systems challenges require systems thinking. With our new five-year strategic plan, our department is moving beyond the traditional civil and environmental domains to emphasize connections between subdisciplines and promote innovation.
Mechanics, materials, and structures, is an interdisciplinary field of engineering. It combines the fundamental physical sciences with powerful mathematical, computational, and experimental techniques to develop fundamental understanding of material behavior at multiple scales, achieving superior performance of these materials in all engineering fields, and predicting service life and failure of materials and structures. It also aims to optimize advanced structures and materials, increase their load-carrying capability and improve their resistance to failure.
Objectives of the program include assessment of structural integrity through methods of fracture mechanics and nondestructive evaluation; processing of composite, nanocomposites, and hybrid materials; characterization and assessment of materials and structures under dynamic conditions; mechanics of materials for energy generation and storage such as, wind energy and fuel cells; constitutive modeling of geomaterials; and development and evaluation of materials for infrastructure.
Many of the fundamental developments underlying the state-of-the-art in structural engineering, mechanics, and materials were pioneered by SEMM faculty and students. This tradition of excellence continues today through vigorous programs of basic and applied research, and careful attention to instruction.
The active involvement of SEMM faculty in the forefront of research projects and in the solution of challenging real world engineering problems results in an instructional program that is up-to-date and relevant. SEMM offers excellent opportunities for study and research leading to advanced degrees in the areas of structural analysis and design, mechanics of structures and solids, and materials in structures and construction.
The curriculum provides a strong basis for advanced professional practice, research, or teaching. Programs of study can be tailored easily to fit individual needs and interests, whether broad-based and multidisciplinary, or narrowly focused and highly technical. Graduates from the SEMM Program have gone on to become world leaders in private practice, government service, education, and research.
Civil engineers lead design innovations for buildings, bridges and roads, which are critical elements of human settlements. Research discoveries in mechanics, materials and structures lay the foundations for innovation in infrastructure and the built environment.
Faculty in this department focus on structural optimization techniques; smart, kinetic, deployable structures; energy-efficient architecture; structural health monitoring; sustainable engineering materials; materials for CO2 capture; architected materials and additive manufacturing; and 3D printing of buildings. Research also includes the connection of engineering to society, art and aesthetics, which enables faculty to be at the forefront in the study of both modern design methods and heritage structures.
We're recognized for our work in: creative use of advanced structural materials and composite systems to improve infrastructure; hazard mitigation for structures; steel and concrete structural design and behavior; smart structural technologies; and structural reliability and risk assessment.
Undergraduate students may choose an optional track to focus their electives and gain a deeper understanding of this discipline. There are also opportunities for students to conduct research in this area with faculty and graduate students.
Graduate programs in civil engineering are organized within the affinity groups. Students pursuing a master's degree or PhD may affiliate with the Structural Engineering, Materials and Mechanics group for their educational and research activities. Graduate students work closely with faculty advisors throughout their studies and as they prepare a thesis. Browse the directory at the bottom of the page to become familiar with the faculty in this group and learn more about their research interests.
There are many opportunities for students to get involved beyond the classroom. Student organizations offer unique ways to learn about the many aspects of civil engineering. Students interested in Structural Engineering, Materials and Mechanics should consider joining:
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Structures, Mechanics, and Materials (SMM) are designed for those students interested in developing specialized knowledge and skills in the mechanics of solids and structures that can be applied to both Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) and other fields as well. The SMM research focus and graduate curriculum are geared toward developing appropriate methodologies for effectively tackling complex and broad issues related to Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS), and also, to educate engineers to implement the developed methodologies in actual practice. Frequently, the technologies developed in our program can be applied not only to CIS issues but also in other fields such as biomechanics/biomedicine, the automotive, earth moving and aerospace industries, new materials development, and microelectronics.
The Ph.D. degree typically takes from three to five academic years to complete, and prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in academic institutions, research organizations, and advanced applications in various industries. At least forty two (42) course credit hours are required for the Ph.D. degree, of which up to twenty-four (24) can possibly be transferred in from a preceding M.S. program.
A number of factors are considered for admission to the Graduate program including undergraduate and/or graduate grade point averages, quality of undergraduate and/or graduate course work, work experience, recommendation letters, professional training, a concise statement-of-purpose, current resume, GRE scores, and TOEFL scores where applicable.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be taken prior to admission. A GRE score of at least 301 (Verbal & Quantitative) is recommended. The TOEFL exam is required for admission for students whose native language is other than English. A minimum TOEFL score of 81 for the internet-based exam is required.
Students who do not have an undergraduate B.S. degree in civil engineering but who have adequate training in mathematics or science may be admitted for graduate study in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Without, certain undergraduate courses may need to be taken without graduate credit.
Prospective MS students must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution with preparation appropriate to advanced study in the proposed major field. Conditional admission may be given to an undergraduate who is within six semester hours of having satisfied these requirements.
A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required for admission. Some program options have higher requirements as listed. The grade point average is computed on the basis of undergraduate and graduate work if the student has less than 12 graduate hours, or on the basis of graduate work only, if the student has completed 12 or more graduate hours.
Admission to a doctoral program normally requires the completion of a Master's degree or equivalent, with a 3.0 minimum grade point average on completed graduate work. A Master's degree with thesis is desirable. Admission as a Ph.D. student is provisional until the student successfully completes a qualifying or comprehensive examination.
We are working towards the common goal of understanding, modeling, and improving a wide spectrum of traditional and emerging materials, using theoretical, experimental, and computational mechanics from nano to macro scale.
The Master of Science (MS) degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate study including up to 6 credit hours for a thesis and a final oral examination. Every student is expected to work closely with his/her academic advisor to develop a well-coordinated plan of coursework to supplement and complement their research.
All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.
The Mechanics of Materials and Structures program supports fundamental research in mechanics as related to the behavior of deformable solid materials and structures under internal and external actions. The program supports a diverse spectrum of research with emphasis on transformative advances in experimental, theoretical, and computational methods. Submitted proposals should clearly emphasize the contributions to the field of mechanics.
Proposals related to material response are welcome, including, but not limited to, advances in fundamental understanding of deformation, fracture, and fatigue as well as contact and friction. Proposals that relate to structural response are also welcome, including, but not limited to, advances in the understanding of nonlinear deformation, instability and collapse, and wave propagation. Proposals addressing mechanics at the intersection of materials and structures, such as, but not limited to, meta-materials, hierarchical, micro-architectured and low-dimensional materials are also encouraged.
Proposals that explore and build upon advanced computing techniques and tools to enable major advances in mechanics are particularly welcome. For example, proposals incorporating reduced-order modeling, data-driven techniques, and/or stochastic methods with a strong emphasis on validation are encouraged. Also welcome are proposals addressing data analytics for deformation or damage response deduction from large experimental and computational data sets. Similarly, proposals that explore new experimental techniques to capture deformation and failure information for extreme ranges of loading or material behavior are also encouraged. Finally, experimental and computational methods that address information across multiple length and time scales, potentially involving multiphysics considerations are also welcome.
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