Lecture

Continuum Mechanics: Introduction

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Description

This lecture introduces the fundamental concepts of Continuum Mechanics, focusing on the main goal of research at EPFL. The instructor explains the continuum model, motion, deformation, and fracture flow. The lecture covers the idealized medium and observational reference frames, emphasizing the Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions. The presentation delves into the density of flux and mass conservation, detailing the flux across boundaries and mass sources. The discussion concludes with the variations in mass and the importance of understanding the normal vectors for surface configurations.

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Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Mechanics: Classical mechanics

Related concepts (32)

Inertial frame of reference

In classical physics and special relativity, an inertial frame of reference (also called inertial space, or Galilean reference frame) is a frame of reference not undergoing any acceleration. It is a frame in which an isolated physical object—an object with zero net force acting on it—is perceived to move with a constant velocity or, equivalently, it is a frame of reference in which Newton's first law of motion holds.

Frame of reference

In physics and astronomy, a frame of reference (or reference frame) is an abstract coordinate system whose origin, orientation, and scale are specified by a set of reference points―geometric points whose position is identified both mathematically (with numerical coordinate values) and physically (signaled by conventional markers). For n dimensions, n + 1 reference points are sufficient to fully define a reference frame.

Local reference frame

In theoretical physics, a local reference frame (local frame) refers to a coordinate system or frame of reference that is only expected to function over a small region or a restricted region of space or spacetime. The term is most often used in the context of the application of local inertial frames to small regions of a gravitational field.

Non-inertial reference frame

A non-inertial reference frame is a frame of reference that undergoes acceleration with respect to an inertial frame. An accelerometer at rest in a non-inertial frame will, in general, detect a non-zero acceleration. While the laws of motion are the same in all inertial frames, in non-inertial frames, they vary from frame to frame depending on the acceleration. In classical mechanics it is often possible to explain the motion of bodies in non-inertial reference frames by introducing additional fictitious forces (also called inertial forces, pseudo-forces and d'Alembert forces) to Newton's second law.

Observer (special relativity)

In special relativity, an observer is a frame of reference from which a set of objects or events are being measured. Usually this is an inertial reference frame or "inertial observer". Less often an observer may be an arbitrary non-inertial reference frame such as a Rindler frame which may be called an "accelerating observer". The special relativity usage differs significantly from the ordinary English meaning of "observer".

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