Vision of the Future of Solid Mechanics

Abstract

Although mechanics is the oldest field of science, it is still advancing rapidly, driven, in all areas of technology, by the need:to develop fundamental understanding of material and system behavior at multiple scales;to deduce realistic mesoscopic and macroscopic models, and verify and calibrate them experimentally;to advance the understanding of failure mechanisms of materials, structures, and systems;to achieve mechanically and functionally superior performance, ensuring a near-zero incidence of failure and minimal long-term deterioration; andto advance the understanding and robustness of diverse complex systems such as those found in biology and nanotechnology.Advances in solid mechanics are made possible by new superior instrumentation, novel and ingenious experimental methods, better mathematical models, even more powerful computational tools, and new and growing interactions with an ever expanding range of disciplines.