BEng Mechanical Engineering with Management

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Structures 3 (Mechanical)

Course unit fact file
Unit code MECH32002
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

• Highlights of Structures-1 and Structures-2 (Mech) course materials
• Theories of elasticity for two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) problems
• Structural analysis using energy methods
• An introduction to linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM)
• An introduction to fatigue analysis
• Plasticity and collapse
• An introduction to creep
 

This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Structures 2 (Mechanical) MECH21021 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Structures 1 (Mech) MECH10031 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

This unit aims to introduce students to further aspects of structural analysis as part of the design process, in particular, theories of elasticity, the energy methods, fatigue, linear elastic fracture mechanics, creep, plasticity and collapse.

Syllabus

 The main components of the syllabus are:

  • 1D, 2D and 3D constitutive equations for linear elastic, isotropic and homogeneous materials, principal and maximum shear stresses (3D), failure criteria, Mohr’s diagram (3D), plane stress and plane strain problems (2D), stress functions, solution by polynomials, Saint- Venant’s principle
  • Energy methods and their limitations, strain energy and complementary energy, principles of virtual work, minimum potential energy, unit load method, finite elements based on energy methods , statically indeterminate structures, degree of redundancy
  • Modes of crack tip deformation, stress intensity factor, fracture toughness, strain energy release rate, fatigue crack growth, power law
  • High cycle fatigue, stress cycle, mean stress and stress range, safe range of stress, cumulative damage, Goodman diagram, fatigue crack growth, fatigue life estimation, S-N curve, fatigue limit and endurance ratio, Miner’s rule
  • Elastic-plastic (E-P) behaviour of metallic materials, brittle and ductile materials, mechanics of plasticity and collapse for structures loaded beyond their elastic limit, E-P bending of beams and frames, E-P torsion of circular sections, residual stresses, limit analysis, lower and upper bound theorems
  • Creep curve, primary, secondary and tertiary creeps, temperature and/or stress dependence, empirical representations of creep behaviour

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 80%
Report 15%
Practical skills assessment 5%

Feedback methods

Exam via script viewing

Report - written feedback 3 weeks after submission

Computer assignment - written feedback 3 weeks after submission

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
eAssessment 5
Lectures 24
Practical classes & workshops 2
Project supervision 15
Independent study hours
Independent study 54

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Azam Tafreshi Unit coordinator

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