MTE5883 Environmental durability and protection of metals and engineering materials
Faculty of Engineering
MTE5883 Environmental durability and protection of metals and engineering materials is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Engineering, offered in 2025 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 2 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
No reviews yetNo reviews yet. Be the first to review MTE5883.
Requisites
Before MTE5883
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After MTE5883
No unit lists MTE5883 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must be currently enrolled in a master’s course in engineering or related STEM and in a related discipline. The unit assumes that you have the necessary foundational knowledge.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
This unit covers the manifestations and types of corrosion usually found in the field in areas such as marine, chemical, manufacture, transport and offshore industries.
Emphasis will be placed on identification and recognition of the types of corrosion likely to occur and then develop strategies to mitigate corrosion. The mechanisms of corrosion in some environments will also be studies. This includes stress corrosion cracking, microbiologically-induced corrosion and corrosion in reinforced concrete structures.
Corrosion mitigation mechanisms will be discussed. This includes materials selection, cathodic protection, coatings and inhibitors. The unit will also cover cement and concrete, including reinforced concrete and topics related to durability of non-metals.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- AssignmentsWrittenThreshold hurdle45%
- QuizQuiz / TestThreshold hurdle5%
- Final assessmentExaminationThreshold hurdle50%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Assess corrosion mechanisms that are prevalent in engineering alloys used in diverse service environments in order to develop methods to mitigate corrosion.
- 2
Evaluate corrosion and environmentally-assisted cracking performance of engineering alloys used in industrial applications to recognise alloy design principles.
- 3
Draw on advanced electrochemical methods to predict durability of coatings that protect engineering alloys.
- 4
Engage with peers in a team and analyse complex theories related to corrosion of engineering alloys, and appreciate how they guide material testing standards and materials selection in various industries.
- 5
Manage workload and reflect upon the effectiveness of a team's performance in problem-solving tasks.
- 6
Interpret advanced concepts/theories/methods related to corrosion and communicate them to a broader audience.
- 7
Reflect on classical corrosion and environmentally-assisted cracking mechanisms and apply them in the context of materials selections for engineering applications.
Workload and teaching
- Practical activities24 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachCase-based teaching
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
The problem boot camp will require you to research a corrosion-related problem in some detail.
Questions and assignments throughout the course.
Working on problems individually and in small group learning sessions, problem boot camp, and assignments.
Concrete assignment - describe and attempt to understand a corroding reinforced concrete structure.
Where it fits
MTE5883 is part of 1 area of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Sebastian Thomas
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Sebastian Thomas
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MTE5883?
MTE5883 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is MTE5883 offered?
In 2025, MTE5883 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is MTE5883?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does MTE5883 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include MTE5883?
MTE5883 is part of Materials engineering.