Mechanical Engineering (MECH) Courses
Fundamentals of Fluid Dynamics
Equations of fluid motion: Navier-Stokes and Euler’s equations. 2D and 3D irrotational flows: potential and stream functions; superposition; numerical modelling; Boundary- and free-shear layers: laminar, transitioning and turbulent states. RANS turbulence models. Self-similarity, momentum-integral and numerical modelling of thin shear layers.
Theory of Viscous Flows
Navier-Stokes and boundary layer equations; mean flow equations for turbulent kinetic energy; integral formulations. Stability, transition, turbulence, Reynolds stresses; separation. Calculation methods, closure schemes. Compressibility, heat transfer, and three-dimensional effects.
Incompressible Non-Viscous Flow
The fundamental equations and theorems for non-viscous fluid flow; solution of two-dimensional and axisymmetric potential flows; low-speed airfoil and cascade theory; wing lifting-line theory; panel methods.
Compressible Non-Viscous Flow
Steady isentropic, frictional, and diabatic flow; shock waves; irrotational compressible flow, small perturbation theory and similarity rules; second-order theory and unsteady, one-dimensional flow.
Uninhabited Aircraft Systems Design
Theory of flight and air vehicle performance; propulsion systems; launch and recovery. Regulatory development; privacy policies. Mission design; sensor performance. Guidance, navigation, control and communications theory. System-level reliability; life cycle cost assessment.
Solar Energy
This course will take an in-depth look at solar radiation fundamentals, solar collector design and performance, heat transfer characteristics of solar collectors, energy storage, passive and active thermal systems, photovoltaics and applications of solar energy for collection and utilization.
Experimental Methods in Fluid Mechanics
Fundamentals of techniques of simulation of fluid dynamic phenomena. Theoretical basis, principles of design, performance and instrumentation of ground test facilities. Applications to aerodynamic testing.
Environmental Fluid Mechanics Relating to Energy Utilization
Characteristics of energy sources and emissions into the environment. The atmosphere; stratification and stability, equations of motion, simple winds, mean flow, turbulence structure and dispersion near the ground. Flow and dispersion in groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans. Physical and analytical modeling of environmental flows.
Dynamics and Aerodynamics of Flight
Aircraft nonlinear equations of motion and their linearization; effect of stability and control derivatives on the open-loop dynamics response; autopilot design and aircraft stability and control augmentation; pilot-in-the-loop; aeroelastic effects on stability and control.
3D Machine Vision: From Robots to the Space Station
Through lectures and project work, this course introduces fundamental 3D machine vision methods (triangulation and time-of-flight), presents cutting-edge neural network approaches, and explores major engineering applications (e.g. robotics, autonomous vehicles, space navigation) where perception of the 3D environment is essential.
Orbital Mechanics and Space Control
Orbital dynamics and perturbations due to the Earth's figure, the sun, and the moon with emphasis on mission planning and analysis. Rigid body dynamics applied to transfer orbit and on-orbit momentum management and control of spacecraft. Effects of flexible structures on a spacecraft control system.
Space Mission Analysis and Design
Review of solar system and space exploration. Space mission design and geometry. Analysis of orbit design, transfers, interplanetary trajectories. Effect of environment on spacecraft design. Space propulsion and launch vehicle design. Launch sequence, windows, cost. Reusable launch systems.
Experimental Stress Analysis
Introduction to theory of elasticity. Photo-elasticity: types of polariscopes, two- and three-dimensional stress fields, frozen patterns. Photoelastic coatings. Strain gauges; gauge factors, sensitivity, calibration, and temperature compensation. Moire fringes, brittle lacquers, mechanical strain gauges.
Space Robotics
This course covers the full spectrum of manipulator robotics applied to in-orbit servicing, repair of spacecraft and removal of orbital debris as the first step towards developing a space infrastructure. It covers space manipulator missions, kinematics, dynamics, trajectory generation, control systems, and some special topics.
Methods of Energy Conversion
Technical, economic and environmental aspects of present and proposed large-scale systems of energy conversion.
Smart Structures
An introduction to the fundamentals of smart materials and structures: mechanisms and classification of the smart materials; their fundamental characteristics and operating principals; sensors and actuators design; design framework of smart structures; control experimentation of smart structures; application case studies.
Nuclear Engineering
Reactor design and safety requirement overview; reactor physics, chemistry and engineering, CANDU reactor design and operation; CANDU reactor fuel channels, thermalhydraulics and fuel; reactor safety design and analysis; IAEA and Canadian safety analysis requirements; reactor accidents; nuclear energy policy.
Fundamentals of Combustion
Emphasis on gas phase reacting flows. Background of combustion thermodynamics, diffusion mass transfer, and chemical kinetics. Detonations and deflagrations. Chemical and dynamic structure of flames. Gaseous flame propagation under laminar and turbulent conditions. Flame stabilization and extinction. Introduction to burning rate theory.
Building Performance Simulation
During this course students will develop an understanding of the methodologies and theory employed historically and contemporarily in the Building Performance Simulation (BPS) field, develop capabilities for extending the functionality of BPS tools, and establish skills in applying BPS tools in research, analysis, and design.
Wind Engineering
Theoretical and practical areas pertinent to the operation of wind turbines. World energy needs, wind farms versus traditional power plants, global wind characteristics, efficient turbine design, electrical components, modes of turbine operation and control, mechanical design, economic and environmental concerns.
Engineering Acoustics
Review of acoustic waves in compressible fluids; acoustic pressure, intensity and impedance; physical interpretation and measurement; transmission through media; layers, in-homogeneous media, solids; acoustic systems; rooms, ducts, resonators, mufflers, properties of transducers; microphones, loudspeakers, computational acoustics.
Aeroacoustics
The convected wave equation; theory of subsonic and supersonic jet noise; propeller and helicopter noise; fan and compressor noise; boundary layer noise, interior noise; propagation in the atmosphere; sonic boom; impact on environment.
Instrumentation Techniques
An introduction for the non-specialists to the concepts of digital and analog electronics with emphasis on data acquisition, processing and analysis. Topics covered include operational amplifiers, signal processing, digital logic systems, computer interfacing, noise in electronic systems. Hands-on sessions illustrate theory and practice.
Computational Fluid Dynamics of Compressible Flows
Solution techniques for parabolic, elliptic and hyperbolic equations developed for problems of interest to fluid dynamics with appropriate stability considerations. A staged approach to solution of full Euler and Navier-Stokes equations is used. Grid generation techniques appropriate for compressible flows are introduced.
Gas Turbine Combustion
Combustion fundamentals and gas turbine combustor design. Combustion fundamentals include fuel evaporation, chemistry of combustion, chemical kinetics and emissions formation and introduction to computational combustion modelling. Combustor design addresses the interrelationship between operational requirements and combustion fundamentals.
Turbomachinery
Types of machines. Similarity: performance parameters; characteristics; cavitation. Velocity triangles. Euler equation: impulse and reaction. Radial pumps and compressors: analysis, design and operation. Axial pumps and compressors: cascade and blade-element methods; staging; off-design performance; stall and surge. Axial turbines. Current design practice.
Gas Turbines
Interrelationship among thermodynamic, aerodynamic, and mechanical design. Ideal and real cycle calculations. Cycle optimization; turbo-shaft, turbojet, turbofan. Component performance. Off-design performance; matching of compressor, turbine, nozzle. Twin-spool matching.
Advanced Thermodynamics
The course covers three major topics: review of fundamentals from a consistent viewpoint, properties and equations of state, and applications and special topics. The third topic includes an introduction to statistical thermodynamics.
Conductive and Radiative Heat Transfer
Analytical, numerical and analog solutions to steady-state and transient conduction heat transfer in multi-dimensional systems. Radiative heat exchange between black, grey, non-grey diffusive and specular surfaces, including effects of athermanous media.
Convective Heat and Mass Transfer
Analogies between heat, mass and momentum transfer. Forced and free convection relations for laminar and turbulent flows analytically developed where possible and otherwise deduced from experimental results, for simple shapes and in heat exchangers. Mass transfer theory and applications.
Advanced Vibration Analysis
General theory of continuous and discrete multi-degree-of-freedom vibrating systems. Emphasis on numerical techniques of solving complex vibrating systems, with selected applications from aerospace, civil, and mechanical engineering.
Advanced Dynamics
Developing and applying the governing equations of motion for discrete and continuous mechanical systems. Includes Newton-Euler and Lagrangian formulations; classical and finite element approaches for continuous systems; and linear stability, frequency response, and propagation solution methods.
Optimal Control Systems
Review of transfer function and state-space system descriptions. Elements of the optimal control problem. Variational calculus. Optimal state feedback control. Riccati equations. Optimal observers and Kalman-Bucy Filters. Extension to discrete time systems including an introduction to dynamic programming. Practical applications are emphasized throughout the course.
Robotics
The history of and introduction to robotics methodology. Robots and manipulators; homogeneous transformation, kinematic equations, solving kinematic equations, differential relationships, motion trajectories, dynamics. Control; feedback control, compliance, servomotors, actuators, external and internal sensors, grippers and vision systems. Microprocessors and their application to robot control. Programming.
Guidance, Navigation and Control
Guidance system classification, flight control systems, targeting, target tracking, sensing. Modern multivariable control analysis; design requirements, sensitivity, robustness, perturbations, performance analysis. Modern filtering and estimation techniques. Terrestrial navigation; tactical air navigation (TACAN), star trackers Guidance mission and performance. Aircraft, missile and spacecraft guidance and control.
Stability Theory and Applications
Fundamental concepts and characteristics of modern stability definitions. Sensitivity and variational equations; linear variational equations; phase space analysis; Lyapunov's direct method. Autonomous and nonautonomous systems; stability in first approximation; the effect of force type on stability; frequency method.
Neuro and Fuzzy Control
Knowledge-based controllers. Fuzzy control: mathematics, relations, operations, approximate reasoning. Fuzzy knowledge base control and structure. Fuzzification, inference engine, defuzzification. Nonlinear, adaptive fuzzy control systems. Stability, Neuro-control: processing, learning. Adaptation of artificial neural systems: associative memories, algorithms, applications, and network implementation. Neurofuzzy systems: industrial applications.
Advanced Kinematics
Algebraic-geometry applications: kinematic calibration of serial and in-parallel robots; kinematic synthesis of planar, spherical, spatial mechanisms. Various DH-parametrisations, Jacobian formulations. Topics in: projective geometry; Cayley-Klein geometries; Plücker line coordinates; Gröbner bases; Grassmannians; kinematic mapping; Burmester theory. Emphasis on practical applications.
System Modelling, Dynamics and Control
The course provides an understanding of system modelling and the connection between energy domains. Within the temporal and/or frequency domains, system identification techniques and control aspects are explored for discrete and continuous systems along with lumped and distributed parameter models.
Nonlinear Systems Analysis & Controls
Introduction to nonlinear systems, stability of periodic solutions and limit cycles. Second-order nonlinear systems. Mathematical foundations for stability analysis, Lyapunov and LaSalle’s methods. Autonomous and non-autonomous systems. Input-Output stability formalisms. Basics of nonlinear control techniques based on Lyapunov methods.
Creative Problem Solving and Design
Problem-solving processes and how they can be applied in engineering design. Emphasis on learning methodologies rather than accumulating information. Techniques can be successfully applied in any engineering specialty.
Failure Prevention (Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue)
Design of engineering structures to ensure against failure due to fatigue or brittle fracture. Nature of fatigue and brittle fracture; selection of suitable material, geometry, and inspection procedures for the load and environmental conditions.
Lightweight Structures
Structural behaviour. Fundamentals of basic elasticity. Energy methods of structural analysis. Bending, shear, and torsion of open and closed multicell structures. Bending of plates. Structural idealization and its effects on open and closed sections. Structural stability.
Computational Metallurgy
Development of microstructure in alloys in solidification processes and post-solidification processing. Nucleation and growth of solid phase. Formation of a dendrite structure, macro and micro segregations. Pore formation in castings. Thermodynamic and kinetics of phase transformations and structure evolution in solid alloys.
Finite Element Analysis I
An introduction to the finite element methodology, with emphasis on applications to heat transfer, fluid flow and stress analysis. The basic concepts of Galerkin's method, interpolation, numerical integration, and isoparametric elements are taught using simple examples.
Finite Element Analysis II
Time marching heat flow problems with linear and nonlinear analysis. Static plasticity. Time-dependent deformation problems; viscoplasticity, viscoelasticity, and dynamic analysis. Isoparametric elements and numerical integration are used throughout.
The Boundary Element Method (BEM)
Integral equations. The BIE for potential theory and for elastostatics in two-dimensions. Boundary elements and numerical integration schemes. Practical applications.
Microstructure and Properties of Materials
Essential microstructural features of metals and alloys: crystal structure, dislocations, grain boundaries. The importance of these features in controlling mechanical properties is emphasized. Analytical techniques observing microstructure in metals and other materials: TEM, SEM, electron diffraction, spectrometry.
Surfaces and Coatings
Surface characteristics of solid materials and surface degradation/failure mechanisms including wear, fretting, oxidation, corrosion, and erosion are introduced. Coating methods including PVD, CVD, laser, thermal spray and electrochemical deposition are discussed in the context of failure prevention measures.
Metallic Phases and Transformations
Thermodynamics of crystals, phase diagrams, principles of alloy phases, thermal analysis. Transformation rate and mechanisms. Short and long range diffusional transformations, diffusionless transformations. Phase transformations in engineering systems.
Integrated Manufacturing Systems (CIMS)
Topics essential to CIMS including computer graphics, geometric modeling, numerically controlled machining, and flexible manufacturing. The fundamental data structures and procedures for computerization of engineering design, analysis and production.
CAD/CAM
Computer aided design and manufacturing methodology through hands-on experience and state-of-the-art software. Topics include mathematical representation, solid modeling, drafting, mechanical assembly, mechanism design and CNC machining. CAD data exchange standards, rapid prototyping, concurrent engineering and design for X are also discussed.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Topic will vary from year to year.
Directed Studies
Independent Engineering Study
Students pursuing a master's degree by course work carry out an independent study, analysis, and solution of an engineering problem or design project. The results are given in the form of a written report and presented at a departmental seminar.
M.A.Sc. Thesis
Ph.D. Thesis
Note: Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca.
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca