Mechanical Engineering  

ME #801 - Macroscopic Thermodynamics
Credits: 4.00
Thermodynamic principles using an analytic, postulational approach, and Legendre transformations to obtain thermodynamic potentials. Prereq: thermodynamics or permission.

ME 802 - Statistical Thermodynamics
Credits: 4.00
Macroscopic thermodynamic principles developed by means of microscopic analysis. Prereq: thermodynamics.

ME 807 - Analytical Fluid Dynamics
Credits: 4.00
Kinematics of flow; constitutive relationships; development of the Navier-Stokes equations; vorticity theorems; potential flow. Prereq: fluid dynamics.

ME 808 - Gas Dynamics
Credits: 4.00
Study of one-dimensional subsonic and supersonic flows of compressible ideal and real fluids. Wave phenomena; linear approach to two-dimensional problems; applications in propulsion systems. Prereq: fluid dynamics or permission. Special fee.

ME 809 - Computational Fluid Dynamics
Credits: 3.00
Review of matrix methods, basics of finite differences, basics of spectral methods, stability, accuracy, Navier-Stokes solvers. Prereq: heat transfer or permission.

ME 811 - Coherent Optical Methods
Credits: 3.00
Introduction to electro-optic experimental techniques in mechanics. Optic fundamentals including elements of scalar diffraction theory, interferometry, holography, Doppler shifts, coherence, and laser speckle. Applications include mechanical strain measurements, vibrational mode determination, fluid pressure and temperature measurements, and fluid velocity measurements. Concepts from course are demonstrated in laboratory. Prereq: permission.

ME 812 - Waves in Fluids
Credits: 3.00
Linear and nonlinear dynamics of hyperbolic and dispersive wave systems with application to acoustic waves, surface and internal gravity waves, Rossby waves, and capillary waves. Key physical concepts include wave-generation mechanisms, wavelength and amplitude dispersion, group velocity and energy propagation, steady streaming, and mode interactions. Prereq: Fluid dynamics; or permission.

ME 823 - Advanced Dynamics
Credits: 4.00
Classical dynamics oriented to contemporary engineering applications. Review of particle dynamics. Hamilton's principle and the Lagrange equations. Kinematics and dynamics of rigid bodies, gyroscopic effects in machinery and space structures. Prereq: mechanics III or permission.

ME 824 - Vibrations Theory and Applications
Credits: 4.00
Discrete vibrating systems. Linear system concepts; single-degree-of-freedom systems with general excitation. Matrix theory and eigenvalue problems. Many degrees of freedom, normal mode theory for free and forced vibration. Numerical methods; introduction to continuous systems; applications to structural and mechanical systems. Prereq: mechanics II; mechanics III or permission.

ME 827 - Advanced Mechanics of Solids
Credits: 4.00
Stress, strain, stress-strain relations, anisotropic behavior, introduction to elasticity, plane stress/strain, bending and torsion of members with general cross-sections, introduction to thin plates and shells, energy methods. Prereq: mechanics II or permission.

ME 835 - Mechanics of Composite Materials
Credits: 4.00
Classification of composites - Anisotropy of composite materials. Micromechanical predictions of elastic and hygrothermal properties. Strength and failure of composite materials. Analysis of laminates. Experimental methods for characterization of composites. Prereq: Mechanics II; Heat Transfer or permission.

ME 841 - Nonlinear Systems Modeling
Credits: 4.00
Modeling of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical systems. Solution methods including linearization and computer simulation of nonlinear equations. Methods of generalizing the nonlinear models for design purposes are developed. Prereq: systems modeling, simulation, and control or permission. (Also offered as ECE 841.)

ME 843 - Satellite Systems, Dynamics, and Control
Credits: 3.00
General satellite systems with emphasis on spacecraft dynamics and control. Course topics include general satellite information such as types of satellites, missions, and orbits, as well as satellite subsystems. Basic spacecraft dynamics and orbital mechanics topics are covered. Advanced topics will include attitude and orbit estimation, and automatic attitude control. Prereq: systems modeling or permission.

ME 857 - Coastal Engineering and Processes
Credits: 3.00
Introduction to small amplitude and finite amplitude wave theories. Wave forecasting by significant wave method and wave spectrum method. Coastal processes and shoreline protection. Wave forces and wave structure interaction. Introduction to mathematical and physical modeling. Prereq: fluid dynamics or permission. (Also offered as CIE 857; OE 857.)

ME 870 - Design with Microprocessors
Credits: 4.00
Basic operation of microprocessors and microcontrollers explained, and interfacing these devices to sensors, displays and mechanical systems explored. Topics include: number systems, architecture, registers, memory mapping, interrupts and interfacing for system design. Methods of programming and interfacing with mechanical/electrical systems are covered and then implemented in lab. Prereq: introduction to electrical engineering. Lab.

ME 872 - Control Systems
Credits: 4.00
Development of advanced control systems design concepts such as Nyquist analysis; lead-lag compensation; state feedback; parameter sensitivity; controllability; observability; introduction to nonlinear and modern control. Includes interactive computer-aided design and real-time digital control. Prereq: permission. (Also offered as ECE 872.) Lab.

ME 873 - Electromechanical Analysis and Design
Credits: 4.00
Analysis and design of electromechanical systems using lumped parameter models and magnetic finite element analysis (FEA).Electrostatic and magnetic field equations discussed and used to derive magnetic and electric lumped model elements. A brushless dc motor analyzed using lumped models and FEA. Various drive types discussed and the motor system analyzed to obtain torque-speed curves. Design principles given and utilized in a design project. Prereq: systems modeling, simulation, and control or permission.

ME 876 - Product Design
Credits: 4.00
Provides a thorough overview of the steps in the engineering design process. Topics include product planning, need identification, specification formulation, benchmarking, concept generation and selection, design for manufacture, assembly and environment. Students will develop a product as part of a team. Prereq: Computer Aided Design; Manufacturing Skills; or permission.

ME 883 - Geometric Modeling
Credits: 4.00
Includes curves, surfaces, solids, analytic and relational properties, intersections, transformations, and solid modeling. Applications in computer graphics and CAD/CAM systems are emphasized. Familiarity with calculus, analytic geometry, vectors, matrix methods, and computer programming is required. Prereq: introduction to scientific programming; multidimensional calculus or permission.

ME 885 - Solid Mechanics in Manufacturing
Credits: 4.00
Characterization of material properties will be studied with emphasis on plastic deformation. Also, numerical approaches to solve for the forces, stresses, and strains in manufacturing processes will be covered. In particular, two prominant mass production manufacturing areas, metal forming and cutting, will be examined. Prereq: introduction to materials science, dynamics.

ME 886 - Introduction to Finite Element Analysis
Credits: 4.00
Topics include basic matrix theory, potential energy approach, direct stiffness method, calculus of variations, development of finite element theory, and modeling techniques. Applications in solid mechanics, heat transfer, fluids, and electromagnetic devices, via both commercially available codes and student written codes. Prereq: heat transfer or permission. Special fee. Lab.

ME 895 - Special Topics
Credits: 2.00 to 4.00
New or specialized courses and/or independent study. May be repeated for credit.

ME 899 - Master's Thesis
Credits: 1.00 to 8.00
Cr/F.

ME 904 - Radiation Heat Transfer
Credits: 4.00
The fundamentals of radiant heat transfer. Development and solution of the wave equation for electromagnetic radiation. Analysis of Planck's law of radiation and earlier theories. Methods of solution of radiant interchange in real systems with and without absorbing media.

ME 906 - Convection Heat Transfer
Credits: 4.00
An analytical study of heat transfer to laminar and turbulent boundary layers of compressible and incompressible fluids. Basic differential equations governing the heat transfer are derived and analytical solutions are obtained where possible and checked with experimental results.

ME 909 - Viscous Flow
Credits: 3.00
Exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations; laminar boundary layers; wakes and jets; Stoke's flow; stability of parallel flows and boundary layers; transition to turbulence. Prereq: ME 807 or permission.

ME #910 - Turbulence
Credits: 3.00
Modern analysis of turbulent flow: the governing equations; stationary random functions and the various averaging techniques; empirical results on turbulence; homogenous turbulence; the Kolmogorov theory for isotropic turbulence; upper bound theory; turbulence in the atmosphere and oceans; applications to problems in science and engineering. Prereq: ME 807 or permission.

ME 911 - Theory of Hydrodynamic Stability
Credits: 3.00
Equations of hydrodynamics in general coordinates; general instabilities caused by gravitational, surface tension, and hydromagnetic influences; instability of parallel viscous flows including the Orr-Sommerfeld equation and Tollmein-Schlicting waves; instability of free-surface waves; instability of stratified flows; instabilities in porous media. Prereq: ME 807 or permission.

ME 922 - Continuum Mechanics
Credits: 4.00
Conservation laws for gases, liquids, and solids in a continuum are developed starting from Liouville and Boltzmann equations. Passage from a discrete system to a continuum is discussed. Constitutive equations for viscoelastic and thermoelastic fields and nonlinear gas, liquid, and elastic fields. General discussion of rheological behavior. Causality conditions for continuum fields. Examples for solids, liquids, and gases; and biomechanics. Introduction to phenomenological Lagrangian theories.

ME 924 - Vibrations of Continuous Media
Credits: 4.00
Classical and numerical methods are employed to study the vibration of continuous elements and structures. Topics considered are axial and torsional vibration of rods, transverse vibration of beams and thin plates, wave propagation, and vibration of simple structures.

ME 926 - Theory of Elasticity
Credits: 4.00
The analysis of stress and deformation in elastic solids; conservation laws for elastic media; stress and strain relations by continuous functions; Airy stress functions; elastodynamic fields; inhomogeneous, anisotropic, wave equations; wave propagation and stress concentration problems; generalizations to thermoelasticity and viscoelastic fields. Complex variable techniques are used.

ME 927 - Theory of Plasticity
Credits: 4.00
Analysis of stress and deformation in inelastic solids; general development of stress invariants, variational principles, constitutive relations, and yield and loading functions. Special emphasis on ideal plasticity, strain-hardening, creep, limit analysis, and limit design.

ME 935 - Micromechanics of Composite and Porous Materials
Credits: 4.00
Classification of composites, periodic and random microstructures. Mechanics of materials approach to mircomechanical modeling. Representative volume element, analytical and numerical modeling of the effective properties. Micromechanics of failure of composite and porous materials. Prereq: Mechanics II; Heat Transfer or permission.

ME 944 - Nonlinear Control Systems
Credits: 4.00
Analysis and design of nonlinear control systems from the classical and modern viewpoints are discussed. Liapunov's stability theory; phase space methods; linearization techniques; simulation; frequency response methods; generalized describing functions; transient analysis utilizing functional analysis; and decoupling of multivariable systems. Prereq: ECE or ME 951. (Also offered as ECE 944.)

ME 951 - Advanced Control Systems I
Credits: 3.00
State-space representation of multivariable systems; analysis using state transition matrix. Controllability and observability; pole placement using state and output feedback; Luenberger observers. Introduction to computer-controlled systems (sampling, discrete state representation, hybrid systems): nonlinear analysis (Liapunov, Popov, describing function). Prereq: ECE or ME 872. (Also offered as ECE 951.)

ME 952 - Advanced Control Systems II
Credits: 3.00
Special topics in control theory: continuous and discrete systems: optimal control systems, including calculus of variations, maximum principle, dynamic programming, Weiner and Kalman filtering techniques, stochastic systems, adaptive control systems. Prereq: ECE or ME 951. (Also offered as ECE 952.)

ME 955 - Estimation and Filtering
Credits: 3.00
Stochastic systems course with application to control and communications. Topics inlcude random variables, noise in linear systems, Bayesian and minimum variance estimation theory, optimal state estimators, Weiner and Kalman filters, combined estimation and control, predicion, parameter identification, and nonlinear filtering. Prereq: ME or ECE 951; MATH 835 or equivalent. (Also offered as ECE 955.)

ME 986 - Advanced Finite Element Analysis
Credits: 4.00
Topics include introduction to dynamics, treatment of nonlinear material behavior, and plate and shell element technology. Emphasis given to problems in solid mechanics and heat transfer. Prereq: ME 886 or equivalent.

ME 992 - Master's Project
Credits: 4.00
The student works with a faculty member during one or two semesters on a well-defined research and/or original design problem. A written report and seminar are presented. IA (continuous grading). Cr/F.

ME 995 - Graduate Special Topics
Credits: 2.00 to 4.00
Investigations of graduate-level problems or topics in mechanical engineering.

ME 999 - Doctoral Research
Credits:
Cr/F.