Mechanical properties of materials

This unit will deal with elastic, plastic and fracture behaviour of solid materials. Some basic mechanics will be introduced, including descriptions of the stress and strain distributions in axial and torsional loading of bars and bending of beams. Elastic properties, including Young’s Modulus and Poisson ratio, will be introduced and linked to the structures of various types of materials (metals, polymers, and composites). Plastic deformation will explore the importance of dislocations in yielding, and deformation via twinning will also be introduced. In both cases, there will be significant attention to how deformation can be prevented and materials can be strengthened. Finally, the unit will cover failure of materials via some selected mechanisms, including brittle fracture and fatigue.