Welcome to the U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics
Join us at the 18th National Congress on Computational Mechanics - July 20-24 in Chicago Illinois
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Welcome to USACM
USACM'S MISSION: To promote, foster, organize and coordinate various activities concerning computational mechanics in the United States and to represent U.S. interests in computational mechanics as an affiliate of the International Association for Computational Mechanics (IACM).
USACM'S STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The Association shall serve as a formal vehicle for overseeing and coordinating conferences, colloquia, symposia, and other technical meetings, and it shall promote research, commercial and academic activities in the general area of computational mechanics that take place within the United States. These functions shall be performed and coordinated on behalf of IACM. In particular, the Association shall provide the United States representation in the organization, planning and hosting of international IACM congresses and shall periodically coordinate and organize U.S. conferences on computational mechanics.
What is Computational Mechanics?
Computational Mechanics (CM) is concerned with the use of computational methods and devices to study events governed by the principles of mechanics. CM is a fundamentally important part of computational science and engineering, concerned with the use of computational approaches to characterize, predict and simulate physical events and engineering systems governed by the laws of mechanics.
Are you aware of the following applications of Computational Mechanics?
Crash worthiness of vehicles - The computer- generated simulation of the crash worthiness of automobiles with walls or obstacles, based on fundamental scientific principles of the dynamics of deformable bodies.
- Predictive Surgery - The properties of living tissues (deduced from MRI imaging and other tests) can go directly into computer subroutines. Models are generated for analysis by surgical teams to assist in determining the best procedure for the patient under treatment. Many different surgical strategies can be simulated and the results predicted by computational mechanics software before a single step in the actual surgery is taken.
- Military Applications - Computational mechanics has long been used in the analysis and design of weapons and armor. Phase changes of materials, ablations and spalling, shrapnel spraying, thermal effects, and flow are a few of the phenomena that can be analyzed using CM models and technology.
- Prediction of Natural Physical Events or Phenomena - CM methods are used to study atmospheric changes, ocean currents, surface flow in rivers, subsurface flows in oil reservoirs, the simulation of a supernova or explosion of a star, or geological phenomena such as the movement and evolution of polar ice caps or the tectonic plates.
Computational Mechanics has had a profound impact on science and technology over the past three decades. CM has transformed much of classical Newtonian theory into practical tools for prediction and understanding of complex systems. These tools are used in the simulation and design of current and future advances in technology throughout the developed and developing world. There has been a pervasive impact on manufacturing, communication, transportation, medicine, defense and many other areas central to modern civilization.
Computational Mechanics incorporates new models of physical and biological systems based upon quantum, molecular and biological mechanics and has an enormous potential for future growth and applicability.
The success of CM will ultimately be judged by its effectiveness in solving real-world problems of interest to society and in providing deeper understanding of natural phenomena and engineering systems. The field has been enormously successful to date because of its unprecedented predictive powers (though computer modeling), making possible the simulation of complex physical events and the use of these simulations to design engineering systems.
Benefits of Membership
Active USACM members receive the following benefits:
- Discounts for USACM congress registration fee
- Registration discount for IACM congresses and most events sponsored by IACM
- Registration discount for all US thematic conferences and workshops
- Newsletter
- Membership spotlights on the USACM website
- Voting privileges (electing USACM officers, EC members and USACM awards) are reserved for regular members only as is the eligibility for the USACM awards.
Why USACM Membership
As one of a growing nationwide group of engineers and scientists involved in commercial or academic activities in Computational Mechanics (CM), you need up-to-date information and an active network of contacts. Membership in USACM can help you obtain information and provide forums for meeting new colleagues and friends.