Materials and Structures

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The application of energy methods for stress and deformation analysis
• Properties of important engineering materials and how they are influenced by heat treatment and manufacture
• Advanced topics in bending and torsion
• Advanced topics in buckling
• Relationship between understanding of materials properties, service performance and the design process
• Introduction to continuum mechanics
• Static and fatigue failure of engineering components subject to combined loading

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Team working through laboratory experiments
• Interpret component/system failure in a wider context

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Conduct scientific experiments and critically analyse results
• Produce scientific reports

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Critically analyse a situation involving materials and prepare questions to be answered by experts in the field
• Identify major failure mechanisms and relate to design/service conditions
• Identify regions of high stress and deformation in engineering components and systems, and predict failure by using traditional methods of stress analysis

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• C1 Materials and structures engineering knowledge and concepts are regularly assessed in the weekly coursework quizzes and integrated in the case study discussions (which feature some research outcomes from the lecturers’ research, applying this knowledge to case studies also then forms part of the final assessment) C2 Problem solving tutorials in materials and structures prepare the students for the final assessment problems based on the materials and structures knowledge and understanding learnt in the course C3 The structures laboratory based coursework includes a comparison of analytical, experimental and FEA calculations in bending exemplars which develops students’ understanding of when and how to apply computational and/or analytical approaches in structures assessments C5 The service failure case studies that are assessed by a concise consultancy style report require a design recommendation to be developed that considers customer needs, safety and some commercial issues, thus partly fulfilling this learning objective C9 The service failure case studies are assessed by a concise consultancy style report which requires an assessment of the failure process that has occurred in service and the associated risks associated with the continued operation and/or maintenance of the components C12/M12 The three laboratory classes include experimental measurements, testing and analysis associated with bending structures, fatigue evaluations and corrosion testing. C13/M13 Materials selection discussion, and in service monitoring techniques form an integral part of the course assessments, in both coursework and examination form C14/M14 Materials property variations linked to manufacturing issues and the link to quality assurance in specifying materials performance is assessed in the final examination C17 The service failure case studies that are assessed by a concise consultancy style report require a design recommendation to be developed for a non-technical layperson to understand

• Introduction to whole course: the interaction of materials and structures (joint lecture)
• Advanced topics in bending.

Fluctuating stresses and fatigue failure. Fatigue analysis for steady and fluctuating loads (lectures, tutorial)

• Advanced topics in torsion

(lectures, examples class, tutorial.

• Advanced topics in buckling (lectures, tutorials).
• Energy methods for stress and deformation analysis (lectures, tutorial).
• Introduction to continuum mechanics (lectures, tutorial).
• Structural Performance of Materials: Fracture, Fatigue, Wear and Corrosion (lectures, case study tutorial and lab classes):
• An introduction to the major failure modes and a consideration of the failure mechanisms. Methods to combat these failure modes are considered. Analysis of fatigue in engineering components subject to bending, tension and torsion.
• Lightweight materials (lectures, case study tutorial):
• Composites: Designing with polymer matrix composites with glass, Kevlar and carbon fibres. Basic composite theory, the properties and applications of composites. Manufacturing methods are described. Light Metals: A comparison of the metallurgy and properties of the competing light metals - the alloys of aluminium, magnesium and titanium. The effect of heat treatment upon properties is considered.
• Ferrous Alloys (lectures, case study tutorial)
• Consideration of the properties, structures and the structural transformations which occur in ferrous alloys. Selection and use of steels for structural engineering applications.
• High temperature materials (lectures, case study tutorial)

High temperature requirements, oxidation, creep, high temperature materials: nickel alloys and ceramics. Improving performance at high temperatures.

Teaching methods include:

• Lectures on the above supported by example sheets in supplied course material.
• Problem classes and case study workshops.
• Laboratory sessions on: fatigue, corrosion and structures problems

Learning activities include:

• Individual work on examples in course material, attendance at laboratory classes, tutorials and associated coursework completion

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.