Lecture 1

University of Jordan
School of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Professor Bashar Tarawneh, P.E
0921703
Continuum Mechanics
Course Objective
This course is designed for M.S students of Geotechnical

Engineering. Its objective is to equip students with a rigorous
foundation-level understanding to support their efforts in the
theory, modeling, and analysis of problems arising in
Geotechnical Engineering.
2
Course Outcomes
Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of the concepts

and methods underlying modern continuum mechanics. The
course is designed to equip students with the background
needed to pursue advanced work in associated fields.
3
Topics to be Covered
• Continuum Theory
• Essential Mathematics
• Stress Principles
• Kinematics of Deformation and Motion
• Fundamental Laws and Equations
• Linear Elasticity
• Classical Fluids
• Nonlinear Elasticity
• Linear Viscoelasticity
4
Textbook and Resources
• Continuum Mechanics for Engineers / G. T. Mase and G.

E. Mase
• International Center for Numerical Methods in
Engineering (CIMNE)
• http://oliver.rmee.upc.edu/xo
5
Grading
Midterm Exam 30%

*Project 30%
Final Exam 40%
*Students are required to complete a course project. The course project is a

critical literature review of a specific topic relevant to the Continuum
Mechanics theory. Each student must submit a written report and make an
oral presentation. It is essential in a critical literature review to present an
overview of the latest literature work and identify opportunities for
advancement or improvement.
6
The Concept of Continuum
• Microscopic Scale:
• Matter is made of atoms which may be grouped in
molecules.
• Matter has gaps and spaces.
• Macroscopic Scale:
• Atomic and molecular discontinuities are disregarded.
• Matter is assumed to be continuous.
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Continuous Medium or Continuum
• Matter is studied at a macroscopic scale: it completely

fills the space, there exist no gaps or empty spaces.
• Assumption that the medium is made of infinite

particles (of infinitesimal size) whose properties are
describable by continuous functions with continuous
derivatives.
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Exceptions to the Continuous Medium
• Exceptions will exist where the theory will not account

for all the observed properties of matter. E.g.: fatigue cracks.
 In occasions, continuum theory can be used in combination with
empirical information or information derived from a physical theory
based on the molecular nature of material.
• The existence of areas in which the theory is not applicable
does not destroy its usefulness in other areas.
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Continuum Mechanics
• Study of the mechanical behaviour of a continuous medium
when subjected to forces or displacements, and the
subsequent effects of this medium on its environment.
• It divides into:
 General Principles: assumptions and consequences applicable to all
continuous media.
 Constitutive Equations: define the mechanical behaviour of a
particular idealized material.
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Continuum Mechanics as the “Grand Unified Theory” of Engineering Science
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Essential Mathematics
• Scalar: a physical quantity, completely described by a single real number, such as

temperature, density or mass.
 Magnitude only, no direction.
 Single component to specify quantity, no basis vector.
 It has one component, zero basis vector, zero basis per component.
• Vector: Physical quantity described by magnitude and direction. It is a directed

line element in space used to model physical quantities such as force, velocity,
acceleration which have both direction and magnitude.
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Matrix Analysis
• A matrix is an ordered array of numbers that are arranged in the form of a
“table” having N rows and M columns. If one of the dimensions (N or M)
happens to equal 1, then the term “vector” is often used.
• A matrix is called “square” if M=N
• We will usually typeset matrices in plain text with brackets such as [A].
• For matrices of dimension N × 1, we also use braces, as in {𝑣𝑣}, namely if N=3,
then
• For matrices of dimension 1×M, we use angled brackets < 𝑣𝑣 >: Thus, if M=3, then
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Matrix Analysis
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15
Scalar, Vector, Matrix and Tensor
Scalar ρ , θ , ...
v
Vector v, f , ...
Matrix σ, ε, ...
Tensor C, ...
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Tensor Concept
 A TENSOR is an algebraic entity with various

components that generalize scalar, vector, and matrix
concepts.
 Many physical quantities are mathematically represented

as tensors.
 Tensors are independent of any reference system but, by

need, are commonly represented in one through their
“component matrices.”
 The components of a tensor will depend on the reference

system chosen and will vary with it.
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Order of a Tensor
 The order of a tensor is given by the number of indexes
needed to specify without ambiguity a component of a
tensor.
 Scalar: zero dimension α =3.14
 Vector: 1 dimension
 2nd order: 2 dimensions
 3rd order: 3 dimensions
 4th order…
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Cartesian Coordinate System-
Component of Tensors
 Given an orthonormal basis formed by three
mutually perpendicular unit vectors:
eˆ1 ⊥ eˆ2 , eˆ2 ⊥ eˆ3 , eˆ3 ⊥ eˆ1
Where:
eˆ1 = 1 , eˆ2 = 1 , eˆ3 =1
 Note that
1 if i = j 
=
eî ⋅eˆ j   = δ ij Kronecker Delta
0 if i ≠ j 
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Explanation
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Tensor Bases – VECTOR
 A vector v can be written as a unique linear combination of
the three vector basis eî for i ∈{1, 2, 3}.
v = v1eˆ1+ v2eˆ2 +v3eˆ3 v

v3
 In matrix notation:
[v] =
v1
v2
 In index notation:
Tensor as a physical entity
Component i of the tensor in the given basis i ∈{1, 2,3}
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Tensor Bases –2nd ORDER TENSOR
A 2nd order tensor A can be written as a unique linear combination

of the nine dyads eî⊗ eˆj ≡ eîeˆj for i, j ∈{1, 2, 3} .
A = A11 (ê1 ⊗ ê1 ) + A12 (ê1 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A13 (ê1 ⊗ ê3 ) +

+ A21 (ê 2 ⊗ ê1 ) + A22 (ê 2 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A23 (ê 2 ⊗ ê3 ) +
+ A31 (ê3 ⊗ ê1 ) + A32 (ê3 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A33 (ê3 ⊗ ê3 )
Alternatively, this could have been written as:
A = A11 eˆ1eˆ1 + A12 eˆ1eˆ2 + A13 eˆ1eˆ3 +

+ A21 eˆ2eˆ1 + A22 eˆ2eˆ2 + A23 eˆ2eˆ3 +
+ A31 eˆ3eˆ1+ A32 eˆ3eˆ2+ A33 eˆ3eˆ3
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Tensor Bases – 2nd ORDER TENSOR
A = A11 (ê1 ⊗ ê1 ) + A12 (ê1 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A13 (ê1 ⊗ ê3 ) +
+ A21 (ê 2 ⊗ ê1 ) + A22 (ê 2 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A23 (ê 2 ⊗ ê3 ) +
+ A31 (ê3 ⊗ ê1 ) + A32 (ê3 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A33 (ê3 ⊗ ê3 )
 Tensor is represented in matrix notation:
A11 A12 A13

[A] = A21 A22 A23
A31 A32 A33
 Tensor is represented in index notation:
A = ∑ A ij (eî ⊗ eˆj ) Tensor as a Physical Entity

ij
[A]ij = Aij Component ij of the tensor
in the given basis i, j ∈{1,2,3}
23

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University of Jordan

This course is designed for M.S students of Geotechnical

Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of the concepts

• Continuum Mechanics for Engineers / G. T. Mase and G.

Midterm Exam 30%

*Students are required to complete a course project. The course project is a

• Matter is studied at a macroscopic scale: it completely

• Assumption that the medium is made of infinite

• Exceptions will exist where the theory will not account

• Scalar: a physical quantity, completely described by a single real number, such as

• Vector: Physical quantity described by magnitude and direction. It is a directed

 A TENSOR is an algebraic entity with various

 Many physical quantities are mathematically represented

 Tensors are independent of any reference system but, by

 The components of a tensor will depend on the reference

eˆ1 = 1 , eˆ2 = 1 , eˆ3 =1

v = v1eˆ1+ v2eˆ2 +v3eˆ3 v

Component i of the tensor in the given basis i ∈{1, 2,3}

A 2nd order tensor A can be written as a unique linear combination

A = A11 (ê1 ⊗ ê1 ) + A12 (ê1 ⊗ ê 2 ) + A13 (ê1 ⊗ ê3 ) +

Alternatively, this could have been written as:

A = A11 eˆ1eˆ1 + A12 eˆ1eˆ2 + A13 eˆ1eˆ3 +

 Tensor is represented in matrix notation:

A11 A12 A13

A = ∑ A ij (eˆi ⊗ eˆj ) Tensor as a Physical Entity

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