Stanford Mechanics and Computation
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The Mechanics and Computational Group covers biomechanics, continuum mechanics, dynamics, experimental and computational mechanics, finite element analysis, fluid dynamics, fracture mechanics, micromechanics, nanotechnology, and simulation based design. Qualified students can work as research project assistants, engaging in thesis research in working association with the faculty director and fellow students. Projects include analysis, synthesis, and control of systems; biomechanics; flow dynamics of liquids and gases; fracture and micro-mechanics, vibrations, and nonlinear dynamics; and original theoretical, computational, and experimental investigations in the strength and deformability of elastic and inelastic elements of machines and structures.
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===Introduction===
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Teaching and research in the Mechanics and Computation Group is devoted to the study of a broad range of mechanical phenomena including the behavior of solids, fluids, biological tissue and complex materials under the actions of loads. The ultimate goals of this effort are to discover new scientific knowledge relevant to engineering problems of the future, to enhance technological development in a broad range of industries, to improve health in society and to advance national security and defense.
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Much of the research conducted within the Group is interdisciplinary in nature, reflecting a combination of concepts, methods, and principles that often span several areas of mechanics, mathematics, computer sciences, materials science, biology and numerous other scientific disciplines.  Our approach often combines experimental or clinical studies with theoretical modeling and numerical simulation to create tools that both explain phenomena and predict behavior and that may be used to advance concepts and designs in industry.
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To achieve our educational objectives our teaching and research encompasses computational mechanics, multiphysics modeling, computational bioengineering, and micro­scale devices.
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===Focus Areas===
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''Computational mechanics'' is concerned with the development and application of computational methods based on the principles of mechanics and the field has had a profound impact on science and technology over the past three decades.  It has effectively transformed much of classical Newtonian theory into practical and powerful tools for prediction and understanding of complex systems and for creating optimal designs. Active research topics within our Group include development of new finite element methods (e.g. discontinuous Galerkin method), computational acoustics and fluid­structure interaction, algorithms for dynamical and transient transport phenomena, adaptive solution schemes using configurational forces, modeling the behavior of complex materials and biological tissue.  The group is actively engaged in methods and algorithm development for high­performance computing including massively parallel computing.  A recent emphasis is concerned with the coupling of techniques for analysis at the quantum, atomistic and continuum levels to achieve multi­scale modeling.
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''Multiphysics modeling'' arises from the need to model complex mechanical, physical and/or biological systems with functionalities dependent on interactions among chemical, mechanical and/or electronic phenomena. These systems are often characterized by wide ranges in time and length scales which requires the development of technologies to describe and model, using numerical and mathematical techniques, the coupling between those scales with the goal of designing and/or optimizing new engineering devices.  Myriad different applications exist ranging from novel molecular scale devices based on nanotubes and proteins, to sensors and motors that operate under principles unique to the nanoscale. Computer simulation is playing an increasingly important role in nano­science research to identify the fundamental atomistic mechanisms that control the unique properties of nano­scale systems.
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''Computational bioengineering'' is a quickly advancing field of research and is providing opportunities for major discoveries of both fundamental and technological importance in the coming years.  The interface between biology and computational engineering will be one of the most fruitful research areas as the ongoing transformation of biology to a quantitative discipline promises an exciting phase of the biological revolution in which engineers, and especially those employing computation, will play a central role. As physical models improve and greater computational power becomes available, simulation of complex biological processes, such as the
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biochemical signaling behavior of healthy and diseased cells, will become increasingly tractable. A particular challenge along these lines lies in the multiscale modeling of biomechanical phenomena bridging the gap between the discrete cell level and the continuous tissue level. The potential scientific and technological impact of computational bioengineering can hardly be overstated. The group is playing an active part in this research effort at Stanford with current collaborative projects with the School of Medicine in areas such as the modeling of the mechanics of the ear and hearing, the eye and vision, growth and remodeling, simulation of proteins and mechanically gated ion channels, tissue engineering and stem cell differentiation.
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''Micro­scale'' devices are micro­machined sensors for system monitoring and modeling and are also used for measuring nanoscale mechanical behavior. In the Mechanics and Computation Group we have a special interest in the biomedical applications of nanofabricated devices with the goal of developing diagnostic tools, measurement and analysis systems, and reliable manufacture methods. Active projects include piezoresistive MEMS underwater shear stress sensor, piezoresistive processing, cell stimulation and force measurements, understanding the biological sense of touch, and coaxial tip piezoresistive probes for scanning gate microscopy.
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===Curricula===
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To deal with such complex and often multidisciplinary problems, the engineer must have a thorough knowledge of analytical, computational, and experimental methods and a deep understanding of underlying physical principles. To achieve this level of understanding, graduate curricula in Mechanics and Computation are offered which include core work in solids, fluids and computational mechanics, dynamics, fracture and biomechanics. Course work is supplemented with research in the student’s specialized area of interest.
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===Location===
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The Mechanics and Computation Group is located in the William F. Durand Building. The building provides offices, computer facilities, research laboratories, and seminar rooms for faculty, research associates, and graduate students of the Group.  MS candidates planning to proceed to a Ph.D. program are encouraged to consider arranging three or more units of directed study (ME391/392) during their MS program.

Revision as of 19:55, 24 September 2007