SIO 214a Introduction to Fluid Mechanics (section 851232), Fall 2015 (4 units)
syllabus & course information
Instructors: Sarah Giddings & Myrl Hendershott
Class times: Sept 25 – Dec 4, Tu 9:30-10:50, Fri 15:30-16:40
Problem sessions: Tu 11:00-11:50 (immediately following class)
Location: Vaughn Hall, room 100
Office hours: Mon 08:00-11:00, MESOM 363, or email me or Myrl to set up an appointment
course summary:
A survey of classical problems in fluid mechanics and approximate techniques of analysis. Topics include conservation equations, straight laminar flows, low and high Reynolds number laminar flow, stability of laminar flows, turbulent flow. Prerequisites: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
course schedule (see here for course notes):
* Week 1-2: Introduction, mathematics refresher, kinematics
* Week 2-3: Conservation laws
* Week 4: Vorticity, Reynolds experiment
* Week 5 – 10: Problem vignettes (Bernoulli, Blazius boundary layer, Plane-Couette flow, wind driven flow on a lake, lubrication problem, gravity current, horizontal convection, Raleigh Bernard, lift/drag, instability, etc.)
* Week 11: turbulence, course review
credit & homework:
Participation in class and problem sessions is critical as we expect you to become proficient at problem solving and intuitive reasoning. While many of the assignments, mini-labs, and participation are not directly graded, a lack of engagement and understanding will be evident during the final exam. Grades will be based on homework (not graded but must participate in problem sessions, turn in homework, and make your own corrections, 20%), mid-term (20%), and an oral final exam (60%).
references:
Textbooks:
Fluid Mechanics by Kundu & Cohen, Academic Press (3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th edition)
The 5th edition, with one more coauthor Dowling is now available online
Additional optional textbooks:
Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, G. K. Batchelor, Cambridge University Press.
Fluid Mechanics, Lev D. Landau and Evgeny M. Lifschitz, 1959, Pergamon Press.
Lectures on Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, R. Salmon, 1998, Oxford University Press.