Department of Materials Science &
Engineering
Module Description 2012/13
Module Code: MAT1600
Module Title: Introduction to Materials
Engineering
Module Convenor: Dr R Goodall
Module Links:
Credits: 10
Semester: 1
Pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Brief Description (including aims of the course):
This lecture course focusses on materials for structural applications, and covers all the
main classes of materials (ceramics, metals, polymers, natural materials and
composites), describing the properties that they show, the root cause of their
properties, the structure, and how we can affect this by processing to get the
properties we want. The course will also introduce some ways that the best material
for a purpose can be selected.
This unit aims to give students an appreciation of Materials Engineering – i.e., that
material properties are determined by the structure, and that this can be influenced
by processing.
The further aim of this unit is to provide students with simple tools that allow them
to make calculations of materials mechanical response and make appropriate choices
of material for realistic engineering situations, as well as an appreciation of some of
the additional factors that might feature in the considerations of a professional
materials engineer.
Course Objectives:
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
•Describe key properties of materials in different material classes, and how they are
linked to the atomic structure / microstructure of the materials;
•Be able to conduct standard test methods to evaluate material properties;
•Discuss different processing routes for materials, and link the choice of processing
route to properties and suitability for different applications;
•Explain the fundamental concepts underlying materials selection charts and use such
charts to select the best material for a particular application.
Assessment:
Exam: 70%
Lab Report: 30%
Booklist (A) Core Text; (B) Secondary Text; (C) Peripheral Reading:
(A) D Callister, Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction, Wiley, (2006)
(A) N Jackson, R K Dhir, Civil Engineering Materials, Macmillan (1996)
(A) M F Ashby & D R H Jones, Engineering Materials 1, Butterworth-Heinemann
(1996)
(B) J Fernandez, Material Architecture, Architectural Press (2006)
(B) M F Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, Butterworth-Heinemann
(1999)