The primary goal of the department is to extensively engage in applied research that will help the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia compete in the global marketplace. The department also prepares well-qualified post graduates to pursue careers in applied research that is of utmost significance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Faculty members of the department lead, encourage and challenge their graduate students to pursue intellectually stimulating research projects in an academic environment. Faculty members also participate in independent projects, KFUPM and KACST projects, and industrial projects to achieve their individual research objectives.

Research activities in the Mechanical Engineering Department are diversified and cover the following areas of research:

• Expert systems for design

• Identification of nonlinear systems, and modal identification

• Active and passive vibration control

• Dynamic analysis and design of multibody systems

• Design applications of axiomatic and robust methods

• Heat transfer of pulsating internal and external flows

• Thermodynamic analysis of cogeneration and desalination systems

• Thermal and economic performance of insulation materials

• Optimization of thermal systems

• Hydrodynamics and heat transfer about confined or unconfined rotating solid bodies or internally circulating droplets

• Modeling of gas combustion in turbulent flow

• Flow and vortex modeling around two dimensional and axisymmetric bodies

• Fouling of heat exchangers

• Turbulence, stability & flow-structure interaction

• Materials damage processes and reliability modeling

• Flow-induced corrosion of alloys in seawater

• Mechanical behavior of materials including composite materials

• Quality and reliability issues in extrusion industry

• Friction and wear of materials of elevated temperatures

• Optimization of manufacturing processes and systems

• Computer aided manufacturing and automation

• Laser Machining applications

• Modeling and simulation of laser heating

• Surface modification including coating

• Flow simulation in ducts and enclosures

• Aerospace Engineering