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Cullen College of Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Note: Nonengineering majors may not register for engineering courses except with the written permission of the dean.

Courses: Mechanical Engineering (MECE)

6198:6298:6398:6498:6598: Research
Cr. 1-5 Prerequisite: approval of chair.

6300: Applied Magnetics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: graduate standing and equivalent of MATH 3445, and MATH 3245. Overview of fundamental magnetic behavior of materials, device and sensor applications of magnetic materials.

6301: Nanostructured Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MATH 3445, graduate standing and consent of instructor. Overview of the advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The content covers solid state materials science, properties of nanomaterials, synthesis and characterization techniques, and applications of nanostructured materials.

6320: Composite Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Fiber, whisker and particulate reinforcements; polymer-, metal- and ceramic-composite materials; principles of second-phase stiffening, strengthening and toughening; interface/interphase stress transfer and load partition; composite material constitutive equations; composite laminate beam and plate analyses; failure theories and criteria.

6321: Polymer Materials and Mechanics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 3469 and MATH 3363 or consent of instructor. Relationships between molecular structure, mechanical properties and physical laws of mech. Characteristics of processing and properties for structural polymers. Time temperature affects and relationship between mechanical and other physical properties. Theory and experimental techniques for thermomechanical properties.

6322: Polymer Viscoelasticity and Failure
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 3369 and MATH 3363 and consent of instructor. A combined materials science and solid mechanics treatment of time-temperature-deformation and failure behavior of polyers and polymeric composites at both the molecular and continuum levels. Various approaches to quasi-static and steady state constitutive behavior are given including. the solution of boundary value problems.

6331: Advanced Thermodynamics I-Classical
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing. Axiomatic formulation of thermodynamics, development of information from a fundamental equation, thermodynamic stability. Applications include mixtures, chemical reaction, evaluation of properties, and phase transition.

6333: Conduction and Radiation
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 3363 or equivalent and consent of instructor. Steady and transient conduction with various boundary conditions; analytical and numerical evaluation of temperature distributions. Introduction to thermal radiation including surface properties, geometric factors and absorbing media. Applications involving coupled conduction and radiation.

6334: Convection Heat Transfer
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Thermal boundary-layer theory; forced convection in laminar and turbulent flows; heat transfer of high velocities; transpiration cooling; dimensional analysis; free convection; selected applications.

6335: Heat Transfer with Phase-Change
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Dynamics of liquid-vapor interfaces including the role of capillary forces. Mechanisms and analysis of boiling and condensing heat transfer.

6339: Introduction to Engineering Alloys
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 3345 or equivalent and graduate standing. Metallurgy of alloy systems are covered at an introductory graduate level. Topics include structure of metals, defects, phase euilibria, phase transformations, heat treatment for microstructure-property control.

6341: Viscous Flow Theory
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Development of governing equations; exact and approximate solutions for high and low Reynolds numbers; extension to boundary layer solution; stability analysis.

6342: Potential Flow Around Bodies
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Application of ideal-fluid mechanics to the flow around two- and three-dimensional bodies.

6343: Boundary Layers
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Computation of boundary layers in laminar and turbulent flow for compressible and incompressible fluids; exact and approximate methods; stability of boundary layer flow.

6344: Turbulent Flows
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Phenomenological theories, self-preserving flows, homogeneous turbulence, and statistical theories; turbulence measuring methods.

6345: Hydrodynamic Stability
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Introduction to hydrodynamic stability. Thermal and centrifugal instabilities. Stability of parallel and nonparallel bounded and free shear flows using analytical and numerical techniques. Nonlinear stability and relation to turbulence.

6346: Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Introduction to geophysical fluid dynamics: the physics of atmospheric and oceanic motions. Effects of rotation and stratification; geostrophic flows. The dynamics of hurricanes and tornadoes.

6347: Low Speed Aerodynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Fundamentals of inviscid, incompressible flow; general solution of potential flow problems; 2D airfoils; 3D airfoils; panel methods.

6348: Vortex-Induced Vibrations
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing in mechanical or civil engineering. Study of flow past fixed and ascillating cylinders. Vibration of cylindrical beams and columns. Vibration of a cylinder due to vortex shedding.

6349: Hydro/Aerodynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing in mechanical, chemical, or civil engineering. Two- and three-dimensional potential flows with application to various hydro- and aerodynamic shapes, including bluff bodies and airfoils. Vortex methods. Surface singularity methods.

6353: Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 3463, MECE 3363 or equivalent, Fortran programming experience, or consent of instructor. Numerical methods for linear and nonlinear partial differential equations. Emphasis on finite difference and spectral methods applied to the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flow. Turbulence modeling.

6358: Superconducting Ceramic Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 3445 and consent of instructor. Introduction to ceramics, fundamentals of superconductivity, superconductivity in high temperature superconductors, superconducting composites and mechanical properties, and applications.

6361: Mechanical Behavior of Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 3445 and graduate standing. Dislocation and defect theory, deformation and fatigue of metals, polymers and brittle materials.

6362: Advanced Dynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5387. Classic problems of particle dynamics and rigid-body dynamics, gyroscope theory; dissipative systems, the principle of least action, Hamilton-Jacobi equation; canonical transformations, Poisson brackets; relativistic mechanics.

6363: Physical Metallurgy
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Structure and mechanical properties of metals and alloys. Metal strengthening processes, plastic deformation, work hardening, crystal imperfections, recovery, and recrystallization.

6364: Solidification and Heat Treatment
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Thermodynamics of heterogeneous equilibria, solidification of alloy systems, transport processes in solidification; annealing and homogenization, precipitation, martensitic transformation, heat treatment applications.

6367: Flight Control Systems Design
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5367 or equivalent. Equations of motion of aircraft and spacecraft, static stability and control, state-space control design methods, linear quadratic regulator, Kalman filtering, and introduction to robust control design methods.

6368: Mechanical Design Project
Cr. 3. (3-0). Selected topics pertaining to individual design projects. Introduction to patent law.

6369: Nonlinear Control Systems Design
Cr. 3. (3-0). MECE 5367. Nonlinear state-space models; Phase-plane techniques; describing function methods; stability analysis; lyapunov function techniques; exact linearization methods; sliding mode control; adaptive control; examples from robotics and spacecraft dynamics.

6373: Computer-Based Design Synthesis
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 4334 or permission of instructor. Techniques of computer-based decision making for engineering system design synthesis; mathematical methods of solution and postsolution analysis; knowledge engineering; engineering applications.

6377: Continuum Mechanics I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5332 or consent of instructor. Motion of a continuum, polar decomposition, measures of strain; rate of deformation and vorticity; transport theorem, balance laws; general constitutive theory, material symmetry, invariance requirements.

6379: Computer Methods for Mechanical Design
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. A second-level course dealing with the application of the digital computer to solve design problems in mechanical engineering. Topics include design optimization, differential equations of mechanical systems, root solving in mechanical synthesis, and eigenvalue applications in design.

6382: Theory of Elasticity
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Mathematical preliminaries: vectors, tensors, orthogonal transformations, integral transformations. Analysis of deformation, compatibility, stress, constitutive laws, material symmetry, formulation of boundary problems, examples.

6384: Methods of Applied Mathematics I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing. The theory and application of mathematical methods for partial differential equations arising in analytical engineering models.

6385: Methods of Applied Mathematics II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing. The theory and application of mathematical methods for partial differential equations arising in analytical engineering models.

6387: Intelligent Structural Systems
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5367 or equivalent. Modeling, design and control of intelligent structures using various smart materials such as piezoceramics, shape memory alloys, magneto-rheological (MR) fluide, and fiber optical sensors.

6388: Optimal Control Theory
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5367 or equivalent. Variational calculus maximum principal and Hamilton-Jacoby theory. Linear quadratic regulator/servo problems and minimum time control. Computational methods in optimum systems control.

6389: Linear Matrix Inequality Control
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 5367 or equivalent. Linear matrix inequalities; Signal and system norms and performance specifications; Stability and system performance analysis using linear matrix inequalities; Uncertain systems and robustness analysis; Robust stability and performance synthesis; Linear parameter varying control methods; Model order reduction problems; Applications to mechanical and aerospace control problems.

6390: Modern Techniques in Structural Dynamics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 3370 or equivalent, MECE 5371 or equivalent. Modern methods of elastomechanics and high speed computation. Matrix methods of structural analysis for multi-degree-of-freedom systems. Eigensolution, time-domain simulation and model reduction.

6399-7399: Master's Thesis
Cr. 3 per semester.

7320: Micromechanics of Composite Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 6320 and MECE 6382 or consent of instructor. Microscopic stress transfer; effective composite thermomechanical properties; inclusion theories; self-consistent mechanics; differential scheme; homogenization theory; Hashin & Christensen-Lo Multi-phase cylinder models; differential thermal stresses and properties; inelastic micromech. deformations and damage; crack growth & fracture.

7321: Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structures
Cr. 3. (3-0). Composite laminates and structures; classical lamination theory; hygrothermal stresses; stress concentrations around cutouts in composite laminates; stability of composite laminate plates and shells; linear & nonlinear anisotropic composite laminate theories; interlaminar stresses and boundary layer effects; linear & nonlinear viscoelastic deformations; delaminations & transverse cracks; composite joints.

7322: Damage & Failure Mechanics of Composite Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 6320 and MECE 6382 or consent of instructor. Composite materials. and structures; damage mechanisms and failure modes; thermodynamic formulation of damage initiation and evolution; deformation and damage coupling; Microstructure and damage interactions; inelastic constitutive equations of composites with damage; damage and crack growth interactions; failure theories and criteria.

7370: Flow and Fracture of Solids
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 3445 or equivalent. Microscopic aspects of plastic deformation, moving dislocations, mechanics of fracture, microscopic aspects of crack propagation, fatigue crack nucleation and growth, kinetics of creep.

7371: Advanced Fracture Mechanics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 6382, MECE 5332 or MECE 6377. Stress analysis of cracked elastic and inelastic solids; failure criteria for brittle and ductile materials; applications to various structural problems.

7372: Nanomechanics of Materials
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 6382 or equivalent or consent of instructor. Modified continuum field theory at the nanoscale; analysis of defects, quantum dots, thin films, nanowires; overview of quantum mechanics and solid state physics; atomistic and quantum methods for materials behavior.

7373: Mechanical Behavior of Metals
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 3445 or equivalent. Concepts of stress and strain, elastic and plastic behavior, dislocation theory, fatigue, fracture, creep, corrosion effects.

7374: Mechanical Behavior of Ceramics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: graduate standing and MECE 3445 or equivalent. Crystallography in ceramics, plastic deformation, fracture, strength, creep, composites, testing methods and applications.

7375: Control of Smart Structures
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MECE 5367 or equivalent or consent of Intructor. Selected deigns in control for smart structures involving shape memory alloys, piezoceramics, and magnetorheological (MR) fluides, based on classical, modern, and intelligent control approaches.

7377: Microstructural Electron Microscopy
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Principles of electron microscopy, diffraction and contrast theories, the transmission electron microscope (TEM), the scanning electron microscope (SEM), application to microstructure of solid materials.

7378: Finite Elasticity
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 6382 or MECE 5332 or consent of instructor. Analysis of large deformation and strain in three-dimensional elastic continua; stress measures; general constitutive equation; special cases; formulation of boundary value problems; examples: uniqueness, stability.

7379: Continuum Mechanics II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 6377 or consent of instructor. Behavior of various solid-like and fluid-like materials; continuum thermodynamics. Selected topics from: Cosserat continua, nonlocal media, electromagnetism in deformable bodies, relativistic effects.

7397: Selected Topics
Cr. 3. (3-0). May be repeated for credit.

7382: Physical Properties of Crystals
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MECE 6382 or consent of instructor. Lattices and lattice symmetry, introduction to lattice dynamics, material symmetry, elastic properties and representation surfaces, wave speeds, piezoelectric properties, thermal expansion.

8198:8298:8398:8498:8598: Doctoral Research
Cr. 1-5. Prerequisite: approval of chair.

8311: Organized Graduate Research Discussions (also CIVE, ECE, MECE)
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: doctoral standing. Group Research discussions with the intent of broadening the education and background of the student by exposure to the related research activities in his/her field.

8399:8699:8999: Doctoral Dissertation:
Cr. 3, 6, 9 per semester.