436-101 Engineering Mechanics and Materials

Unit 1, Mechanics: On completion of this unit students should be able to calculate forces and moments in mechanisms and structures under load, determine torque and power transmission capacities of drive trains, solve problems in hydrostatics, calculate vibration responses of simple structures and use relevant computer packages.

Topics include application of vector algebra to engineering systems, forces, moments, couples and resultants; equilibrium of forces in two and three dimensions; properties of sections, theorem of Pappus; analysis of machine components; friction, wedges, screws, journal and thrust bearings, power transmission systems; elementary mechanics of continua; and dynamics of simple structural systems, introduction to computational mechanics.

Unit 2, Materials: On completion of this unit students should have a basic familiarity with properties and behaviour of materials and most common polymeric materials, preparation for appreciating the interrelationship between the structure, processing and properties of materials and of factors in selection of appropriate materials for specific applications.

Topics include mechanical properties; yield and ultimate strength, elastic modulus, hardness, nominal (engineering) stress and strain, true stress and strain, ductility, plastic flow, atomic structure and bonding; crystallographic notation, Miller indices; and fast fracture, fracture mechanics, toughness, oxidation and corrosion, introduction to structure, properties and processing of polymers.

One examination not exceeding three hours, assignments and reports not exceeding 20 pages or equivalent and participation in seminars. Students will be notified of the weighting of assessment components at the beginning of semester.