Intro to Solid Mechanics — Lesson 1

Solid mechanics deals with the behavior of solids when subjected to loads.

Studying the mechanics of solids enables us to design and build structures of different sizes and functionalities. Engineers who build bridges must know the maximum capacity of the bridges.

Bike manufacturers study the mechanics of their bike frames to ensure that they can support the weight of the biker during the ride.

The electronics manufacturers study the mechanics of their equipment so they can improve the reliability of the systems during both the regular operation or in the event of a drop.

These are just a handful of examples that give a glimpse of the endless possibilities of studying the mechanics of solids.

In this lesson, we define mechanics, discuss the objectives of this course and learn the fundamentals of solid mechanics.

Lecture

Alternate video link.

Handout

Here are the accompanying handout slides for this lesson.