Mechanical Engineering Department

Thomas P. Rich

Tom Rich

Professor of Mechanical Engineering
The Robert L. Rooke Chair in the
Historical and Social Context of Engineering
Senior Fellow in Residential College
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Phone: (570) 577-3715
Fax: (570) 577-7281
rich@bucknell.edu

Educational Background:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 1965
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Lehigh University, 1967
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Lehigh University, 1969

Teaching Experience:

University of Southampton, England
Texas A&M University
Bucknell University, 1981-Present

Teaching Specialties:

Basic Statics, Dynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Computer-Aided Design
Physical Metallurgy
Numerical Methods
Solid Mechanics
Advanced Strength of Materials
Elasticity Plasticity
Fracture Mechanics
Engineering History

Research Interests:

Analytical/Numerical Methods in Solid Mechanics (Complex Variables, Collocation, Finite Elements)
Fracture Mechanics and Structural Life Prediction
History of Engineering
Multimedia Pedagogies
Sustainable Buildings

Books:

Case Histories Involving Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics, American Society for Testing and Materials, Special Technical Publication 918, 1986, Philadelphia, PA., 427 pages, (edited with C.M. Hudson).
Building Pennsylvania Part 1, CD-ROM eBook, ~770 pages, copyright 1998-2000, Lewisburg, PA, (Contents: Canals, Iron & Steel, Lime & Cement, Waterworks).

Selected Articles:

"Thinking 'Outside the Box' about Ductile Crack Initiation and Extension," Proceedings of the 23rd Southeastern Conference on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, May 21-23, 2006, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 17 pages, (with L. Cui).
"Lessons in Social Responsibility from the Austin Dam Failure," The International Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 22, No. 6, 2006, pp. 1287-1296, Rossmore, Durrus, County Cork, Ireland.
"The Effect of Hot Isostatic Pressing on the Crack Initiation, Fatigue and Mechanical Properties of Two Cast Aluminum Alloys," ASM Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, Vol. 8, No. 3, 1999, American Society of Metals, Materials Park, OH, pp. 315-324, (with J.G. Orbison, R.S. Duncan, P.G. Olivero, and R.H. Peterec).
"Bucknell's Electronic Classroom - A Platform for Innovation in Engineering Teaching and Learning," Proceedings of the World Conference on Engineering Education, Vol. 4, October, 1995, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN., pp.34-39, (with M.E. Hanyak, B.S. Hoyt, and W.J. Snyder).
"Stress Intensity Factors for Cracks Emanating from Pressurized Semi-Circular Cylindrical Cavities," Engineering Fracture Mechanics, Vol. 44, No. 3, 1993, pp.383-402, (with B. Wu).
"Development of a Fatigue Crack Initiation Test Specimen," Proceedings of the 1989 ANSYS Conference on Engineering Design Options: from PC's to Parallels, May, 1989, Pittsburgh, PA, pp. 15.34-15.48, (with J.G. Orbison, R.H. Peterec, and J.A. Carhart).
"Integrating Computers into an Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum," Proceedings of the 1988 ASME Pressure Vessel and Piping Conference, June, 1988, Pittsburgh, PA, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, NY, 10 pages.