Micromechanics
Graduate · Engineering
Syllabus focus
Standard syllabus · STEM / applied
Pricing
Graduate-level rates are set on consultation. See the pricing page for K–12 and undergraduate rates.
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Continuum micromechanics
- Representative volume element (RVE) concept
- Eshelby's inclusion problem and tensor solutions
- Mean-field homogenization: Voigt and Reuss bounds
- Mori-Tanaka and self-consistent schemes
- Effective properties of composite microstructures
- Hashin-Shtrikman bounds
- Periodic boundary conditions on RVEs
- Finite element microstructural models
- Statistical volume element and size effects
- Microstructure characterization from imaging
Crystal plasticity and damage
- Slip systems in FCC, BCC, and HCP crystals
- Schmid law and resolved shear stress
- Phenomenological crystal plasticity formulations
- Texture evolution and Taylor models
- Dislocation density based models (intro)
- Void nucleation and growth in ductile metals
- Phase field models for microstructure evolution
- Grain boundary mechanics and Hall-Petch relation
- Size-dependent plasticity at microscale
- Coupling micromechanics to macro FEA
STEM / applied
Multiscale simulation and experiments
- Two-scale FE² computational homogenization
- Crystal plasticity FE implementation
- EBSD and microscopy for model calibration
- Nanoindentation for local property measurement
- Additive manufacturing microstructure prediction
- Battery electrode particle mechanics
- Biological tissue microstructure modeling
- Machine learning microstructure-property maps
- Thesis in computational materials science
- Lab tour of microscopy facilities
Research frontiers
- High-entropy alloy microstructure modeling
- Irradiation damage in nuclear materials
- Chemo-mechanical coupling in battery materials
- Machine learning interatomic potentials
- Digital twin of material processing
- Peer review of micromechanics journals
- Industry needs in lightweight alloy design
- Open-source micromechanics software survey
- Conference presentation of RVE results
- Qualifying exam micromechanics preparation
Notes
Topics reflect common engineering syllabi at US colleges and universities. Exact order, depth, and applied emphasis vary by institution, department, and instructor.