MAE 2120 - Mechanical Properties and Selection of Engineering Materials

Spring, summer. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: ENGRD 2020, MAE 2020 (Statics) with minimum of C- (strictly enforced).

Staff.

Mechanics of deformable bodies and a reinforcement of the concept of “simple engineering elements” for mechanical analysis associated with design. Introduction to the broad range of properties and behaviors of engineering materials as they relate to mechanical performance. Emphasis is placed on general states of stress and strain, on elasticity and combined loading effects. Failure criteria including yielding, buckling, fracture, fatigue, and environmental effects are developed. A general introduction to the function/constraints/objectives approach to material selection associated with mechanical design is provided with candidate material systems coming from metals, polymers, ceramics, and/or composites. A general overview of material structure and processing is presented within this context of material selection.

Outcome 1: Students will understand the most basic analytical tools for mechanical analysis and be able to solve simple boundary value problems stress, strain and displacement fields.

Outcome 2: Know and understand fundamentals failure modes associated with mechanical design. Equipped with skills associated with outcome 1, students should be able to predict failure by excessive stress (yielding and fracture), stress in the presence of cracks and flaws (using fracture mechanics) and fatigue.

Outcome 3: Have a basic understanding of the structure, processing and properties of the basic classes of engineering materials: metals, polymers, ceramics and composites.

Outcome 4: Understand and utilize a properties/function-based method to systematically choose materials for mechanical designs.