This is a second graduate course in solid mechanics, and explores coupled mechanical, thermal, electrical, and chemical actions. The course draws heavily upon phenomena in soft materials.
This page is updated for ES 241 taught in Spring 2020 (Maxwell Dworkin 221, T/Th 1:30pm-2:45pm)
The course taught in the past:
- ES 241 taught in Spring 2007
- ES 241 taught in Spring 2009
- ES 241 taught in Spring 2011
- ES 241 taught in Fall 2013
- ES 241 taught in Fall 2017
Topics
- Finite deformation: general theory
- Elasticity of rubber-like materials
- Finite deformation: special cases
- Boltzmann distribution
- freely jointed chain
- Dielectric elastomers
- Recipe for catastrophe
- Polymer gels
- Elastocapillarity
- Polyelectrolyte gel
Supplementary notes
Optional topics
- Instabilities
- String and elastica
- Linear viscoelasticity (This topic is covered in ES 240. Please read the notes on your own.)
- Electric potential
- Poroelasticity, or migration of matter in elastic solids
- Finite deformation of viscoelastic materials
- Electrochemical potential
- Linear perturbation
- Heat conduction and finite deformation
- Models of solution
- Complex variable methods
Remarks
- Prerequisite: ES 240 Solid Mechanics or equivalent.
- Keep your own notes. I'll post my notes online. My notes are mainly written for me, and are not self-contained. In particular, many figures are missing in my notes.
Online resources
- Allan F. Bower, Applied Mechanics of Solids
- Rohan Abeyaratne, Lecture notes on the mechanics of elastic solids
- James R. Rice, Items developed for teaching
- Zhigang Suo, ES 240 Solid Mechanics
- Konstantin Volokh, Mechanics of Soft Materials: Lecture Notes
- John Willis, Stability of media and structures
Related courses
thanks Zhigang Suo
share what we have
Very interesting course
I wish there had been something like this when I was a student! It has been much my frustration that mechanics teaching has not tended towards softer materials, viscoelasticity, etc. I personally never had the chance to take a taught course in any of the subjects that I research or now am trying to teach, in polymer mechanics or time-dependence. Hopefully some time I'll be on sabbatical in the area when you are teaching this sort of module and I could sit in!
thank you for information
thank you for information
Thanks for the detailed lecture
this is the best and most systematic notes on machanics of soft mater I have ever seen, definitly will do great help to my future work!
Thank you for your valuble lectures
Thank you for your valuble lectures
Do you have any lecture about the the effects of both geometric and material nonlinearity in the mechanical dynamics modeling of EPA.
Regards,
Amir
In reply to Thank you for your valuble lectures by aaam
Dynamics of dielectric elastomers
Here are two papers:
Jian Zhu, Shengqiang Cai and Zhigang Suo. Resonant behavior of a membrane of a dielectric elastomer. International Journal of Solids and Structures 47, 3254-3262 (2010).
Jian Zhu, Shengqiang Cai and Zhigang Suo. Nonlinear oscillation of a dielectric elastomer balloon. Polymer International 59, 378-383 (2010).
Useful course
Hi Prof. Suo,
The course seems very inetersting and useful. I think that adding some lectures on recently developed theories in non-classic elasticity such as modified couple stress theory, nonlocal elasticity and strain gradiant theory upgrades the usefulness.
Regards,
Masoud
In reply to Useful course by mmasoudsf
Re: Useful course
Dear Masoud: Thank you very much for your suggestion. At the moment the course is built around soft materials, such as elastomers and gels. I will add new parts each time I teach the course (every other year). I welcome all suggestions.
Courses
Hello Pr Suo Z.
Intesting Courses : thank you.
Moussaoui M.L.
Thanks for the notes
I appreciate these great notes. However, some of the links either do not work or they are linked to the wrong content. I would appreciate some amendments. Thanks.