ME 2340/CEE 2340: Mechanics of Deformable Bodies

Course Description

Introduction to analysis of deformable bodies including stress, strain, stress-strain relations, torsion, beam bending and shearing stresses, stress transformations, beam deflections, statically indeterminate problems, energy methods and column buckling. Prerequisite: ME/CEE 2310 Statics.

For Civil Engineering students, this course serves as a prerequisite for CEE 3350 Structural Analysis and CEE 3385 Soil Mechanics and Foundations as well as several technical elective courses. Both courses are offered at the junior level and are required courses for Civil Engineering students. Failure to take ME/CEE 2340 in a timely manner results in students being not able to take CEE 3350 which delays their ability to take design courses CEE 4350 Steel Design and CEE 4352 Concrete Design. This has the potential of students being not able to graduate as planned. For Mechanical Engineering students, this course is a prerequisite to ME 3350 Structural Engineering and ME 4370 Elements of Mechanical Design as well as several technical electives.

Instructor Biography

Dr. Usama El Shamy is an assistant professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering at Lyle School of Engineering. He has taught this course at Tulane University prior to joining SMU. He has been teaching CEE/ME 5/7361 Matrix Structural Analysis and Introduction to Finite Element Methods for the past four years; this course builds heavily on knowledge gained from ME/CEE 2340.

Learning Outcomes and Benefits

• This course introduces students to the development of the relationships and equations for determining stresses and strains in a deformable body subjected to various types of loading. 
• This course provides students with the analytical background to analyze and design mechanical and structural systems.
• This course includes, but is not limited to, content that supports the educational objectives and outcomes of the civil engineering and mechanical engineering programs. Specific emphasis is placed on students attaining and demonstrating:
  • An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability (Outcome C)
  • An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems (Outcome E)
  • An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice (Outcome K)