Undergraduate 

Mechanical Design Engineering BEng/MEng

Materials 1 ENG1033

  • Academic Session: 2023-24
  • School: School of Engineering
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes

Short Description

This course introduces students to engineering materials from their crystallographic structure through to their materials properties. The major classes of materials and the factors controlling their mechanical properties are introduced, allowing consideration of the choice of materials for different applications.

Timetable

2 lectures per week

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

80% Written Exam

20% Report: Laboratory report written in groups

Main Assessment In: December

Course Aims

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.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

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 material factors using Ashby diagrams.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

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.