Reports on Research Directions in Mechanics

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USNC/TAM: U.S. National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics


Since 1991, the USNC/TAM has had six reports produced that survey the field of mechanics, with particular emphasis on identifying areas of mechanics for future research. The committee asks individuals, or groups of individuals to write the reports.

The recent reports are short, overview documents, intended for a wide audience, including policymakers. The six reports are intended for specialists and provide a contextual background on specific research areas and point to new opportunities, needs, and trends.

http://www.mechscience.com/?q=node/56


1. Research Directions in Computational and Composite Mechanics (2007)

Research Directions in Computational And Composite Mechanics
(2007) discusses two aspects of the engineering science of mechanics that have a profound impact on American Competitiveness, and addresses issues raised in the National Academy of Sciences report Rising Above the Gathering Storm (2007). The United States has played a leading role in the development of computational mechanics and mechanics of composite materials. It is clear that the futures of these two disciplines of mechanics are very bright as they both will have a profound impact on many facets of our life, including advances in biology, medicine, energy conservation and development, and national security. It is also clear that the United States is not the only country working in these advanced fields of engineering science. There are very strong initiatives and commitments to these fields in Europe and Asia. A concentrated effort by the United States is necessary if we are to maintain our competitiveness.
The authors of Part I: Computational Mechanics are: Ted Belytschko (Northwestern), Thomas J. R. Hughes (Texas), and Neelesh Patankar (Northwestern). The authors of Part II: Mechanics of Composite Materials are: Carl T. Herakovich (Virginia) & Charles E. Bakis (Penn State). The report was reviewed by J. Fish, M.W. Hyer, and J.T. Oden. The full report is available as a PDF file.
2. Research in Fluid Dynamics (2006)

Research in Fluid Dynamics: Meeting National Needs (2006) was assembled and edited by Jerry Gollub (Haverford) from contributions by H. Fernando (Arizona State), Morteza Gharib (Caltech), John Kim (UCLA), Steve Pope (Cornell), Alexander Smits (Princeton), and Howard Stone (Harvard). The full report is available as a PDF file.


3. Research Directions in Computational Mechanics (2000)

Research Directions in Computational Mechanics
(2000) was prepared by J.T. Oden of the University of Texas, Texas Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, assisted by Ted Belytschko of Northwestern University, Ivo Babuska of the University of Texas, and T.J.R. Hughes of Stanford University. The full report is available as a PDF file.
4. Research Trends in Solid Mechanics (1999)
FRONT MATTER
(PDF file)
Title page, author list, contents, acknowledgments
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
(PDF file)
This material is taken from the book Research Trends in Solid Mechanics, edited by George J. Dvorak for the USNC/TAM, published by Pergamon Press, c 1999 by Elsevier Science, Ltd., Oxford, UK. The report consists of an Executive Summary, reprinted here with permission, and a series of articles appearing as Volume 37, pp. 1-422, of the International Journal of Solids and Structures (2000).
Order from Elsevier (119 USD):
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/620577/description#description


5. Research Trends in Fluid Dynamics (1996)
This material is taken from the book Research Trends in Fluid Dynamics, editors J.L. Lumley, Andreas Acrivos, L. Gary Leal, and Sidney Leibovich, c 1996 by the American Institute of Physics, Woodbury, New York. Reprinted with permission. Full file http://www7.nationalacademies.org/usnctam/Fluid_Dynamics.html.
6. Research Directions in Computational Mechanics (1991)
The SCORDIM report on Computational Trends in Computational Mechanics (1991) was published by National Academies Press and is available in full text and to purchase online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/1909.html