Structures and Solid Mechanics in aerospace engineering is a field of study that focuses on designing, analyzing, and constructing aircraft and spacecraft structures. This type of engineering is essential for the safe and efficient operation of aircraft and spacecraft. It involves the study of structural materials, aerodynamic loads, and structural dynamics, as well as the application of fundamentals of physics and mathematics to understand the behavior of aircraft and spacecraft.
The aerospace engineering discipline is highly interdisciplinary, combining knowledge from multiple engineering disciplines such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. However, structural design is a primary focus of aerospace engineering, as it is responsible for the safety, performance, and cost of a given aircraft or spacecraft.
To design and analyze structures, engineers must understand the principles of solid mechanics, which is the study of the behavior of solid materials under loads. This includes material stress and strain, deformation, fracture, fatigue, and creep. In addition, engineers must also be familiar with aerodynamics principles, which study how air interacts with an object. This includes topics such as lift, drag, and thrust. By combining an understanding of solid mechanics and aerodynamics, aerospace engineers can design and analyze aircraft and spacecraft structures.
Key Structures and Solid Mechanics research areas:
- Solid Mechanics
- Finite Elements
- Composite Structures and Materials
- Durability and Failure
- Smart Structures
- Wave Mechanics and Metamaterials
- 3D Printing
Graduate Research Opportunities
We are looking for gifted and enthusiastic researchers to join the labs. If you are interested in exploring new ideas and pushing the boundaries of current research, we invite you to look at our open research positions page. Click here to explore various research topics in top niche specialization areas.