EM564

Course Content

Assignments

Labs.

Text Book

Grading

Lecture Notes

NSF-Exp Mech Resources Page

Paper/presentation

EM 564 Fracture Mechanics

Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

Spring 2006

Ashraf F. Bastawros

2347 Howe Hall (bastaw@iastate.edu)

Audience

This course should be of interest to persons who are interested in both the mathematical and physical descriptions of fracture mechanics and the role of material microstructure on changing the propensity to fracture and fatigue. Students who are involved in testing, modeling and diagnostics of defects in materials and their role in controlling the deformation mechanisms are encourage to take this course, especially from Aero. Eng., Mech. Eng., Civil Eng. and Mat. Sc.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to introduce students to design methodology to avoid fracture and fatigue of engineering structures. Students will gain the mechanistic, physical and mathematical understanding of fracture and fatigue. You will be introduced to:

1. Basic fracture mechanics terminology and design concepts.

2. Linear and nonlinear mathematical formulation of fracture mechanics.

3. Fracture mechanisms in ductile and brittle materials.

4. Fatigue of structures and cumulative crack propagations. Application of wave optics to materials research.

5. Experimental analysis of fracture mechanisms and material resistance to fracture.

6. Application of fracture mechanics.

Tentative Syllabus

1. Overview of fracture mechanics

2. Overview of setting a boundary value problem

3. Linear elastic fracture mechanics

4. Elastic plastic fracture mechanics

5. Materials aspect of fracture

6. Fatigue (concept and design)

7. Applications: Plastics, ceramics, composites, concrete.

8. Fracture Testing

Other topics to include of for independent study

Fracture of thin film and layered structures

Fracture of pressure sensitive materials

Dynamic fracture

Time dependent fracture (viscoelastic effect)

Comments and suggestions should be sent to:

bastaw@iastate.edu
phone: 515-294-3039