Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

This certificate program allows working professionals to keep current with the rapid pace of technological changes in the area of engineering mechanics and to earn a graduate certificate in their field of interest. Furthermore, this program provides students with the opportunity to improve their academic record for possible admission to the MS degree program in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering. All courses are available over the Internet.

The certificate program consists of four courses delivered as part of the MS degree program in Engineering Mechanics. Choose classes covering topics like continuum mechanics, solid mechanics, stability, fracture mechanics, composites, fatigue analysis, plates, shells, and laminated composites.

Curriculum

Persons enrolled in the program will have a choice from the following list of courses offered to graduate students in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.

Eng Mech 311 Introduction to Continuum Mechanics

Introductory Cartesian tensor analysis to aid in the development of the theory of a continuum. Kinematics of deformation, stress tensor, equations of motion, equations of mass and energy balance. Examples from specific material theories in solid and fluid mechanics.

Eng Mech 322 Introduction to Solid Mechanics

Review of basic concepts in continuum mechanics. Finite elasticity: some universal solutions for isotropic materials; application of special mechanical models. Linear elasticity: compatibility, stress functions, superposition, special examples such as extension, torsion, bending and plane problems. Elements of plasticity.

Eng Mech 334 Stability of Engineering Structures

Solution of stability problems with applications to columns, plates and shell structures. Torsional and lateral buckling of columns. Buckling under high temperatures. Effect of imperfections introduced by a technological process on stability. Design issues related to stability requirements.

Eng Mech 336 Fracture Mechanics

Linear elastic and plastic mathematical models for stresses around cracks; concepts of stress intensity; strain energy release rates; correlation of models with experiment; determination of plane stress and plane strain parameters; application to design.

Eng Mech 337 Fatigue Analysis

The mechanism of fatigue, fatigue strength of metals, fracture mechanics, influence of stress conditions on fatigue strength, stress concentrations, surface treatment effects, corrosion fatigue and fretting corrosion, fatigue of joints, components and structures, design to prevent fatigue.

Eng Mech 381 Introduction to Composite Materials and Structures

Introduction to fiber-reinforced composite materials and structures with emphasis on analysis and design. Composite micromechanics, lamination theory and failure criteria. Design procedures for structures made of composite materials. An overview of fabrication and experimental characterization.

Eng Mech 431 Theory of Plates

General coverage of various approaches to plate problems and the application of these methods to practical problems. Special topics include applications to elastic foundations, buckling and energy methods in plate theory.

Eng Mech 432 Theory of Shells

General theory of stress analysis of shells based on topics in differential geometry and general elasticity theory. Theory is applicable to studies of the elastic behavior of flat plates and shells, buckling and post-buckling behavior of shells, and provides a basis for all shell theories which account for anisotropy, plasticity, creep, thermal strains, internal reinforcements, and transverse shearing deformations.

Eng Mech 483 Mechanics of Composite Materials

Effective moduli of spherical, cylindrical and lamellar systems. Stress transfer in short fiber composites. Hygrothermomechanical constitutive relations. Interlaminar stress, strength and fracture of composite systems.

Eng Mech 484 Analysis of Laminated Composite Structures

An overview of isotropic beams, plates and shells. Bending vibration, and buckling of composite beams and plates: exact and approximate solutions. Development of composite shell theory. Some simplified laminated shell solutions. Analysis of composite structures including transverse shear deformation effects.

Contact

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
ME Annex 211A
1870 Miner Circle
Rolla, MO 65409
Phone: 573-341-6504
Fax: 573-341-4607
Email: dharani.mst.edu