This course introduces students to engineering materials from their crystallographic structure through to their materials properties within the context of material optimization, environmental impact, energy efficiency, recycling and reuse. The major classes of materials and the factors controlling a range of properties are introduced, allowing consideration of the choice of materials for different applications.

2 lectures per week

None

None

80% Written Exam

20% Report: Laboratory report written in groups

The aims of this course are to:

■ introduce the types of materials used in engineering applications;

■ examine the behaviour of materials in uniaxial and multiaxial stress fields including the various moduli and elastic and plastic behaviour;

■ discuss failure of materials and the concepts of toughness, viscoelasticity and fatigue;

■ explain the principles and methods used to choose materials for specific applications;

■ demonstrate the principles and application of mechanical testing.

■ examine the environmental impact of materials and the importance of their efficient use in all engineering applications

■ examine the importance of lightweight and energy efficient material specifications to ensure optimisation and minimising carbon footprint

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ compare the structure of metals, polymers and ceramics;

■ calculate the density of materials based on their crystallographic structure;

■ define the factors which control the stiffness, strength, toughness and electrical conductivity of materials;

■ differentiate between elastic and plastic behaviour of materials;

■ use yield criteria for multiaxial stress fields;

■ perform and analyse a simple mechanical test;

■ choose materials for specific applications, based on optimising a range of material factors including energy efficiency, end of use and the full life cycle of materials using Ashby diagrams

Students must attend the degree examination and submit at least 75% by weight of the other components of the course's summative assessment.

Students must attend the timetabled laboratory classes.

Students should attend at least 75% of the timetabled classes of the course.

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates.  Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.