It is a classical branch of the physical sciences, with roots as deep as civilization itself. Areas of research that receive special emphasis in Cornell's Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics are solid mechanics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, and biomechanics. Solid mechanics . Ongoing research in solid mechanics is concerned with the fundamental principles of elasticity, plasticity, continuum mechanics, wave propagation, fracture, magnetoelastic interactions, and the dynamics instability of structures. One of the most active areas, which has applications in the modeling of manufacturing processes, is the study of large deformations in solids and structures.
Metal forming, casting, quenching, and joining are among the processes being studied.
Other research in this area is concerned with bifurcation and instabilities, the role of symmetry in large deformation problems, and the modeling of phase transformations and elastic defects by nonlinear elasticity theory. Quantitative ultrasonic and acoustic-emission techniques are being used for measuring the properties of materials and for nondestructive testing. These techniques are used to characterize composite materials and to measure of residual stress in solids, while obstacles in elastic media are identified by the scattering of ultrasonic waves. This research, which is largely experimental, is supplemented by theoretical studies in acoustoelasticity and acoustoplasticity. Other work involves the development and characterization of ultrasonic transistors.