Department of Mechanical Engineering
 
and Mechanics
 
 
MEM  660  Theory  of  Elasticity  
 
Course  Syllabus  
 
Instructor  Information  
Instructor  Name:     Dr.  Tein-­‐Min  Tan  
 
Contact  Information:     Office:  Curtis  155C  
Email:  tan@drexel.edu  
Phone:  215-­‐895-­‐2293  
 
Office  Hours:       By  appointment  
 
Student  Learning  Information    
 
Course  Description  
Summarizes  mechanics  of  materials  courses.  Covers  vector  and  tensor  analysis,  indicial  notation,  
theory  of  stress,  equilibrium  equations,  displacements  and  small  strains,  compatibility,  and  strain  
energy;  formulation  of  the  governing  equations  and  the  appropriate  boundary  conditions  in  linear  
elasticity,  and  uniqueness  of  the  solutions;  elementary  three-­‐dimensional  examples.    Two-­‐
dimensional  theory;  stress  functions;  solutions  in  Cartesian  and  polar  coordinates;  variational  
principles,  Ritz  and  Galerkin  methods.  
 
Course  Outline  
Chapter  1  Cartesian  Tensors    
Chapter  2  Analysis  of  Stress    
Chapter  3  Analysis  of  Strain    
Chapter  4  Stress-­‐Strain  Relations  and  Governing  Equations  of  Elasticity    
Chapter  5  Extension,  Torsion,  and  Bending  of  Prismatic  Bars    
Chapter  6  Two-­‐Dimensional  Problems  in  Cartesian  Coordinates  
Chapter  7  Two  Dimensional  Problems  in  Polar  Coordinates  
Chapter  8  Introduction  to  the  Calculus  of  Variation  
Chapter  9  Variational  Principles  in  Elasticity  
 
Course  objectives  
1. An  understanding  of  Cartesian  tensors  and  the  ability  to  perform  basic  tensor  algebra  and  
coordinate  transformation.  
2. An  understanding  of  stress  tensor,  surface  traction,  and  body  force,  coordinate  
transformation  of  stress  tensors,  principal  stresses  and  stress  invariants,  and  equations  of  
equilibrium.  
3. An  understanding  of  Lagrangian,  Eulerian,  and  Cauchy’s  strain  tensors  and  their  
geometrical  interpretations,  rigid  body  motions,  coordinate  transformation  of  strain  
tensors,  principal  strains  and  strain  invariants,  and  compatibility  equations.  
 4. An  understanding  of  the  generalized  Hooke’s  law,  elastic  symmetries,  and  physical  
significance  of  elastic  constants.      
5. The  ability  to  formulate  the  governing  equations  of  elasticity  in  three-­‐dimensions,  and  an  
understanding  of  the  concepts  of  uniqueness  of  solution,  principle  of  superposition,  and  
Saint-­‐Venant’s  principle.  
6. The  ability  to  analyze  in  three-­‐dimensions  the  extension,  torsion,  and  bending  of  prismatic  
bars  using  semi-­‐inverse  method.  
7. The  ability  to  formulate  the  governing  equations  of  elasticity  for  two-­‐dimensional  plane  
problems.  
8. An  understanding  of  the  method  of  Airy  stress  function  for  the  solutions  of  two-­‐dimensional  
plane  problems  in  both  Cartesian  coordinates  and  polar  coordinates.  
9. An  understanding  of  Calculus  of  Variations  and  its  applications  in  elasticity.  
10. An  understanding  of  the  variational  principle  based  approximate  solution  methods  and  
their  applications  in  elasticity.  
 
Course  Materials  
Textbook:  No  textbook  is  required.    Lecture  notes  will  be  posted  on  BBLearn  course  website.  
Reference  books:  
1. P.C.  Chou  &  N.J.  Pagano,  Elasticity:  Tensor,  Dyadic,  and  Engineering  Approaches,  Dover,  
1992.    
2. S.P.  Timoshenko  &  J.N.  Goodier,  Theory  of  Elasticity,  3rd  ed.,  McGraw-­‐Hill,  1987.    
3. Y.C.  Fung,  Foundations  of  Solid  Mechanics,  Prentice-­‐Hall,  1965.    
4. I.S.  Sokolnikoff,  Mathematical  Theory  of  Elasticity,  2nd  ed.,  McGraw-­‐Hill,  1956.    
Pre-­‐requisites:  Mechanics  of  Materials,  Linear  Algebra  
 
Assignments,  Assessments  and  Evaluations  
Assignments:  
Weekly  homework  assignments  are  due  in  one  week.    They  will  be  collected,  but  not  
graded.    Solutions  will  be  made  available  on  course  web  site  after  the  assignments  are  collected.  
Examinations:  

Midterm  examination  will  cover  Chapters  1  –  5  

Final  examination  will  be  cover  Chapters  6  –  9  
Grading  Matrix    
Midterm:  50%,  final:  50%  
 
Academic  Policies  
This  course  follows  standard  Drexel  University  policies,  including  the  following:  
 
http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/academic_dishonesty.asp  
http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/community_standards/overview/  
http://www.drexel.edu/oed/disabilityResources/students  
http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/course_drop.asp  
 
Drexel  Policy  on  Plagiarism  (from  the  Provost’s  website):  
“Plagiarism   is   the   inclusion   of   someone   else’s   words,   ideas,   or   data   as   one’s   own   work.   When   a   student  
submits  work  for  credit  that  includes  the  words,  ideas,  or  data  of  others,  the  source  of  that  information  must  
be   acknowledged   through   complete,   accurate,   and   specific   references,   and,   if   verbatim   statements   are  
included,  through  quotation  marks  as  well.  By  placing  his/her  name  on  work  submitted  for  credit,  the  student  
certifies   the   originality   of   all   work   not   otherwise   identified   by   appropriate   acknowledgments.   Plagiarism  
covers  unpublished  as  well  as  published  sources.  Examples  of  plagiarism  include,  but  are  not  limited  to:  

Quoting  another  person’s  actual  words,  complete  sentences  or  paragraphs,  or  an  entire  piece  of  
written  work  without  acknowledgment  of  the  source.  

Using  another  person’s  ideas,  opinions,  or  theory,  even  if  it  is  completely  paraphrased  in  one’s  own  
words  without  acknowledgment  of  the  source.  

Borrowing  facts,  statistics,  or  other  illustrative  materials  that  are  not  clearly  common  knowledge  
without  acknowledgment  of  the  source.  

Copying  another  student’s  essay  test  answers.  

Copying,  or  allowing  another  student  to  copy,  a  computer  file  that  contains  another  student’s  
assignment,  and  submitting  it,  in  part  or  in  its  entirety,  as  one’s  own.  

Working  together  on  an  assignment,  sharing  the  computer  files  and  programs  involved,  and  then  
submitting  individual  copies  of  the  assignment  as  one’s  own  individual  work.  
Students   are   urged   to   consult   with   individual   faculty   members,   academic   departments,   or   recognized  
handbooks  in  their  field  if  in  doubt  regarding  issues  of  plagiarism.”  
 
Drexel  Policy  on  Cheating  (from  the  Provost’s  website):  
“Cheating  is  an  act  or  an  attempted  act  of  deception  by  which  a  student  seeks  to  misrepresent  that  he  or  she  
has  mastered  information  on  an  academic  exercise  that  he/she  has  not  mastered.  Examples  include,  but  are  
not  limited  to:    

Copying  from  another  student’s  test  paper  

Allowing  another  student  to  copy  from  a  test  paper  

Unauthorized   use   of   course   textbook   or   other   materials,   such   as   a   notebook   to   complete   a   test   or  
other  assignment  from  the  faculty  member  

Collaborating  on  a  test,  quiz,  or  other  project  with  any  other  person(s)  without  authorization  

Using   or   processing   specifically   prepared   materials   during   a   test   such   as   notes,   formula   lists,   notes  
written  on  the  students  clothing,  etc.  that  are  not  authorized    

Taking  a  test  for  someone  else  or  permitting  someone  else  to  take  a  test  for  you”  
Please  don’t  plagiarize  or  cheat;  it  isn’t  worth  it.  Cheating  will  result  on  a  grade  of  zero  for  the  assignment.  
Statement  for  Students  with  Disabilities:  
Students   with   disabilities   requesting   accommodations   and   services   at   Drexel   University   need   to   present   a  
current   accommodation   verification   letter   (AVL)   to   faculty   before   accommodations   can   be   made.   AVL’s   are  
issued   by   the   Office   of   Disability   Resource   (ODR).   For   additional   information,   contact   ODR   at  
http://www.drexel.edu/oed/disabilityResources/  3201  Arch  Street,  Suite  210,  Philadelphia,  PA  19104,  215-­‐
895-­‐1401  (Voice),  or  215-­‐895-­‐2299  (TTY).