Structural Engineering and Mechanics – Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Sensing and Monitoring

How can we detect and quantify damage in structures through physical measurements and mathematical modeling?

Graduate student Danny Smyl working in the sensors and materials Lab

Solid Mechanics and Materials

How can we engineer more resilient materials by understanding their behavior at multiple length scales?

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Probabilistic Approaches in Structural Engineering

How can we increase the safety and reliability of the structures using probabilistic tools and design?

Structural Behavior and Design

How do we develop new methods for analysis and design of resilient structures by studying mechanisms of failures at multiple scales?

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Computational Mechanics

How can we model the physics of material behavior using analytical, experimental and computational tools?

Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics

How can we design resilient infrastructure?

The state of North Carolina is not known for its seismic activity; however, on August 9, 2020 at 8:07AM, near the town of Sparta, the largest earthquake to strike North Carolina in at least 100 years was recorded. The 5.1 magnitude earthquake (MMI 6) was preceded by several small foreshocks felt by local residents and followed by ~100 aftershocks. Earthquake Engineering PhD Student Ariadne Palma and Professor Mervyn Kowalsky visited Sparta on the day of the earthquake and documented damage to residential structures such as shown in the photo. Using estimates of the weight of the masonry chimney, and an assumption of rocking response they were able to estimate accelerations in the range of 0.2g which were shown to be consistent with that estimated later by USGS.

Faculty

Centers, Labs, and Facilities

Engineering Online
Constructed Facilities Laboratory (CFL)
Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence – Natural Disasters, Critical Infrastructure, and Emergency Management
National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center: Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI)
Center for Nuclear Energy Facilities and Structures (CNEFS)
Materials and Component Fatigue Testing Facility
Repair of Buildings and Bridges with Composites (past NSF IUCRC center, part of CICI)

Courses

The Master of Science (MS) degree requires a minimum of 31 semester hours of graduate study including up to 6 credit hours for a thesis and a final oral examination. The Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) degree requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate study without a thesis. This degree is also available by distance education through Engineering Online. Both degrees require 18 credit hours in structural engineering and mechanics, of which 12 hours must be taken from a set of core courses in structural analysis and design and solid mechanics.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree normally includes one academic year of full-time course work beyond the master’s degree. The major component of the Ph.D. program is preparation of a dissertation reporting the results of an original investigation that represents a significant contribution to knowledge.

Graduate Student Advising Information for Students in Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Course Number	Course Name
CE 515	Advanced Strength of Materials
CE 522	Theory and Design of Prestressed Concrete
CE 523	Theory and Behavior of Steel Structures
CE 524	Analysis and Design of Masonry Structures
CE 525	Structural Analysis II
CE 526	Finite Element Method in Structural Engineering
CE 528	Structural Design in Wood
CE 529	FRP Strengthening and Repair of Concrete Structures
CE 714	Stress Waves
CE 718	Constitutive Modeling of Engineering Materials
CE 721	Matrix and Finite Element Structural Analysis II
CE 723	Advanced Structural Dynamics
CE 724	Probabilistic Methods of Structural Engineering
CE 725	Earthquake Structural Engineering
CE 726	Advanced Theory of Concrete Structures
CE 794	Advanced Topics in Structures and Mechanics