Mechanics of slender structures

Through this course, students will learn how to rationalize, analyze, and predict the mechanics of deformation of slender structural elements. The acquired knowledge will build upon, and further specialize material from, previous SGM courses in solids and structures (Introduction to structural mechanics, Structural mechanics, Continuum mechanics, Solid mechanics). The focus will be given to fundamental problems in mechanical systems comprising beams, rods, plates, and shells, primarily in their elastic regime. Methods of analysis will cover both scalings and analytical modeling. Students will recognize the specificities of slender structures, e.g., geometric nonlinearities, buckling, and the possibility of large deformations (albeit under linear material strains). Throughout, concrete examples of slender structures will be provided across a wide range of modern application scenarios and from the recent literature, including biological structures, micro-nano mechanical systems, robotics, and large engineering structures.

The course may contain, but not exclusively, the following elements: Elasticity and dimensional reduction of elastic bodies; Dimensional analysis and scalings; Euler's Elastica; Strings and Rods; Plates; Thin films, Multilayers, and Coatings; Shells; Buckling of slender structures.