ASHLEY SPEAR portrait
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, School Of Computing
  • Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
801-581-4753

Current Courses

Spring 2025

  • ME EN 6891-001
    Solid Mech Grad Seminar
    Location: WEB 1450 (WEB 1450)
  • ME EN 7530-001
    Fracture and Fatigue
    Location: WBB 820 (WBB 820)

Fall 2024

Courses I Teach

  • ME EN 2010 - Statics
    This course covers the subject of Statics. Statics involves the evaluation of external and internal forces on right-body systems. Topics that will be covered include: vector operations; forces, moments, couples, and resultants; static equilibrium in two and three dimensions; free body method of analysis; statically equivalent force systems; trusses, frames, and machines; centroids, distributed loads, and moment of inertia; friction; internal forces and bending moments in structural members; and a brief introduction to stress and strain.
  • ME EN 5510/6510 - Introduction to Finite Elements
    A practical approach to finite element analysis (FEA). The course will provide an introduction to the theoretical basis of the direct stiffness, potential energy, and weighted residual formulation methods of simple elements (1D, 2D). Students will also get exposure to commercial finite element software (ANSYS or ABAQUS) and will learn to critically evaluate finite element models. Examples will be provided for solid, fluid, and heat transfer applications. A brief introduction to some advanced methods (multiphysics, design optimization, and combined Eulerian-Lagrangian formulations) will be provided.
  • ME EN 7530 - Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics
    Theory and application of fracture mechanics to design against catastrophic failures in structures. Mechanisms of fracture, stress-intensity factors, elastic and elasto-plastic design criteria, fracture toughness, crack propagation, and fatigue; fracture-control plans.