Course detail
Deformation and Failure of Materials
FSI-RDF Acad. year: 2025/2026 Summer semester
Loss of the functionality, component and/or structure damage caused by insufficiency and failure of the material is usually called as limit state. There is a deformation history preceding to limit state, and, as a result, except for loss of machine functionality a material failure is taking place. The course is taken as a free continuation of the basic course on Limit States of Materials. It is focused on topics like deformation, fracture initiation and propagation under different loading conditons. There are traditional approaches to deformation and fracture behaviour evaluation included, e.g. plastic deformation at uniaxial loading, fatigue, creep, but, at the same time, up to date methods, used e.g. by low cycle fatigue and in particular by fracture mechanics. The phenomena are explained linking up to typical structural materials groups; the lectures are therefore especially suitable for the branches having less time or no dotation of courses oriented on materials.
Language of instruction
Czech
Number of ECTS credits
5
Supervisor
Entry knowledge
Undergraduate courses from mathematics, physics, material science and mechanics.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
The course-unit credit is awarded on condition of meeting the following requirements: participation in all exercises, elaborating tasks according the teacher’s instructions.
In the written part of the exam the student elaborates short answers to different quesstions. Then oral question follows and complementary questions may riw and/or student has to defence his written part.
The exercises are compulsory and the absence from these exercises must be properly excused. In case of absence the student is required to elaborate a protocol in order to prove that he/she understands the topic.
Aims
The course is focused on the methods for securing the structural integrity of mechanical devices and strcutres. The approaches consist of two parts: (i) strenght and integrity calculation as it is, and, in addition (ii) the estimation the material resistance against failure. The aim of this course is to explain the principles of evaluation of material resistance against failure by means of basic material characteristics (yield stress, fracture toughness, or time to rupture curve).
The course enables the students to get an overview of the principle, way of measurement, as well as practical application of mechanical and fracture mechanical characteristics of engineering materials.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme N-IMB-P: Engineering Mechanics and Biomechanics, Master's
specialization BIO: Biomechanics, compulsory-optional
Programme N-IMB-P: Engineering Mechanics and Biomechanics, Master's
specialization IME: Engineering Mechanics, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
26 hours, optionally
Syllabus
1. Limit states and materials design
2. Elastic and inelastic deformation
3. Plastic deformation – dislocations and strain hardening
4. Plastic deformation during uniaxial loading
5. Temperature dependence of plastic deformation; creep deformation
6. Material failures, fracture criteria
7. Parameters of Linear Elastic and Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics
8. Fracture toughness determination
9. Brittle fracture of steels – transition temperature approach
10. Weld joints failures and evaluation methods
11. Fatigue damage and material failures
12. Damage superposition
13. Deformation and fracture of plastics and ceramics
Exercise
13 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
1. Visit to mechanical laboratories, literature, databases
2. Examples from elastic behaviour of materials
3. & 4. Plastic deformation and tensile test – examples
5. & 6. Transition behaviour of steels
7. & 8. Experimental fracture mechanics
9. Steels and steel weldments evaluation
10. & 11. Fatigue – selected examples
12. & 13. Students presentations