Mechanical engineering is a broad profession creatively engaged in the design, production and operation of devices, machines and systems which extend our physical abilities. Mechanical engineers are involved in activities such as energy conversion and utilization, machinery design, manufacturing processes, automatic control, bio-mechanics and transportation of all forms. Mechanical engineers study the response of materials to forces and energy flows. Using their understanding of these basic processes, mechanical engineers design space vehicles, aircraft, automobiles, robots, medical equipment, prostheses, and the multitude of mechanical devices which we depend on every day but often take for granted.
AREA OF EMPHASIS AT DELAWARE
The Department of Mechanical Engineering’s active research program covers a broad spectrum of topics within which there are several areas of concentration. The following are examples of research efforts within the Department: Solid Mechanics. The area of solid mechanics involves the control and prediction of the behavior of structures which may be as large as a space shuttle or so small as to only be visible under a microscope. A particular area of research within the Department involves the solid mechanics of advanced composite materials which provide unprecedented strength and stiffness combined with low weight. Research also includes studies of recently developed “smart structures,” a term given to materials/structure combinations in which the properties adjust to respond to changing operational requirements. Thermo/Fluid Sciences. The flow of fluids and the transport of heat are fundamental to manufacturing technologies, energy conversion, the environment, and all aspects of transportation, especially aerospace. Research includes investigating the creeping flow and spreading phenomena of coatings, turbulent flow and centrifugal instabilities, transport of airborne pollutants, the behavior of fibers in concentrated suspensions, and other areas related to composites manufacturing. Environmental Engineering. Environmental concerns are of increasing importance to society. Engineers have traditionally played a dominant role in understanding transport of pollutants in air, soil, and water, and methods for remediating these problems. The Department has a vigorous research effort in air pollution focused on particle transport and transformation. Areas of research include gas-to-particle conversion, particle thermodynamics, particle deposition in lungs, modeling of particulate pollutants in urban areas, particle transport in turbulence, and measuring the chemical composition of individual particles. Materials Science. The materials science research effort includes an exploration of the basic phenomena in metal matrix composites and ceramic matrix composites for high temperature applications. Other research involves the study of corrosion of monumental bronzes, and the development of materials useful in the conversion of solar energy to electricity. Biomechanical Engineering. The Department has a history of cooperation with researchers and clinical physicians at the A.I. duPont Institute, bringing engineering skills to bear on the needs of handicapped children under treatment at that hospital. This research is now focused through CBER, the Center for Biomedical Engineering Research. Research includes the study of loosening of prostheses, hip growth in children with cerebral palsy, preventing injuries during childbirth, and rehabilitation engineering. Other areas of bio-engineering research include the deposition of pollutants in the lungs, concentration of urine in the human kidney, and pressure fluctuations in cerebral-spinal fluid.
