Introduction to Mechanics of Materials

Mechanics of Materials is a field of study that tries to answer the question:

What happens to materials when subjected to forces?

It is made of three independent sub-fields:

Statics:  Deals only with the forces of a system, and the equations they must satisfy, without considering whether the system is able to withstand the forces without failure.  Apart from the physical nature of forces, Statics is a purely mathematical subject based on vector algebra and calculus.

Geometry of Deformation:  Deals only with geometric concepts used to define measures of deformation, without considering the cause of the deformation.  The physical structure of the material is ignored, and is replaced by a continuum, which can be subdivided at will.  

Force-Deformation Relations:  Deals quantatively, at an infinitesimal or at a finite scale, with the relationships between deformations and their causes, which may include not only forces but other factors, such as a temperature change. The form of the relationships may be established theoretically, but the specific relationships for a given material are based on physical experiments .

What is the role of Mechanics of Materials in engineering?

In its broadest sense, Mechanics of materials is relevant to understanding the behavior and to the design of just about anything concrete, and that is why it is applied in all engineering fields, including Bio-engineering.   In particular, it is fundamental in the design of  buildings, bridges, roads, machines of all types, aeronautical and astronautical vehicles, and naval ships.

What is the purpose of an introductory course in Mechanics of Materials?

Introduce Mechanics as an engineering science.

Apply fundamental concepts to understanding the behavior and to designing simple structural and machine elements.

Provide a rigorous basis for future development.