UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

2017 November/December Examinations

Faculty : Engineering

Department : Metallurgical Engineering

Paper Code and Title :ENGINEERING MATERIALS (MG103)

Duration : 3 Hours

Examiner : Dr C Sumanya & Eng. S Shumba

Authorised Materials : Calculator & Graph Paper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. This paper contains Two sections, A and B and 7 questions

2. Answer THREE Questions from Section A including Question A1, and any
TWO others from Section B.
3. Use separate booklets for solutions to questions from each section.
4. Start each question on a new page
5. This paper comprises 9 printed pages

NB: DO NOT TURN OVER THE QUESTION PAPER OR COMMENCE

WRITING UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO

Page 1 of 9
 SECTION A
Question A1
a) Offer an explanation as to why covalently bonded materials are generally less
dense than ionically or metallically bonded ones. [2 marks]

b) Differentiate between crystal structure and crystal system. [2 marks]

c) Comment on whether non-crystalline materials display the phenomenon of

allotropy (or polymorphism). [2 marks]

d) Compare the crystalline state in metals and polymers. [2 marks]

e) Can Schottky defects exist in K2O? If so, briefly describe this type of defect.[2
marks]

f) Explain whether a crystalline ceramic material will strain harden at room

temperature. [2 marks]

g) State and describe one difference between a eutectic alloy and a solid solution
alloy. [2 marks]

h) List two differences between the corrosion of metals and the corrosion of
ceramics. [2 marks]

i) Briefly explain the difference between hardness and hardenability. [2 marks]

j) Based on microstructure, briefly explain why grey iron is brittle and weak in
tension. [2 marks]

Question A2

a) Describe and illustrate the following imperfections that can exist in crystal
lattices:
(i) Frenkel imperfection,
(ii) Schottky imperfections, and
(iii) Explain whether it is possible to have a Frenkel defect in the covalent
crystal. [6 marks]
b) Mechanical tests are carried out to determine metal properties. These include:
A - Tensile test;
B - Vickers test;
C - Izod test.
For each of the tests A, B and C, identify and describe the metal properties
under examination.[6 marks]
(c) The effects of cold work (strain hardening) on the properties of an aluminium
alloy are shown in Figure 1.

Page 2 of 9
 (MPa)

(MPa)

Fig. 1 for Question A2 (c)

Assuming this alloy has a single-phase microstructure (aluminum solid

solution, or (Al)),
(i) Sketch the microstructure of the alloy at 0, 40, and 80 percent cold work.[4
marks]
(ii) Sketch a schematic stress-strain diagram for the alloy at 0 and 80 percent
cold work. [4 marks]
NOTE: Label clearly your sketches.

Question A3

Fig. 2 for Question A3 (a)

a) Casting is the method used to manufacture the aluminium alloy wheel shown
in Figure 2. As part of quality control, the wheel is examined for flaws,
checked for porosity and for other possible defects in the casting.

(i) Identify two non-destructive tests to examine the wheel for surface
flaws and two non-destructive tests for internal flaws.[4 marks]

Page 3 of 9
 (ii) Describe, with the aid of a diagram, one non-destructive test to
examine for surface flaws and one non-destructive test to examine
for internal flaws identified at (b) (i) above. [6 marks]
b) Differentiate between steady-state diffusion and non-steady-state diffusion. In
your description include equations and define all symbols.[4 marks]

c) Determine the atomic packing factor for HCP and FCC structures. [6 marks]

Question A4
a) Two crystalline solid structures are represented at X and Y in the diagrams
below.

Fig. 3 for Question A4 (a)

(i) Identify the two crystal structures X and Y shown in Fig 3.[1
marks]
(ii) Identify, with aid of an explanation, the structurethat is most
associated with the brittleness in metals. [4 marks]
(iii) Name one metal based on structure X and one metal based on
structure Y. [2 marks]

b) Give two important properties for each of the five main classes of engineering
materials. [5 marks]

Page 4 of 9
c) A simplified portion of the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram is shown.

Fig. 4 for Question A4 (c)

(i) Name the regions A, B, C and D shown. [2 marks

(ii) Describe in detail point X and point Y, with reference to each of the
following:
• Phase change
• Composition
• Temperature. [6 marks]

SECTION B

Page 5 of 9
 Answer Two Questions from this section

QUESTION 5

(a) Electricity poles are required for a residential area in Harare. You are employed by
a timber manufacturing company as their Chief Engineer. Your company is submitting a
bid for the project. Your company has tasked you to prepare a report to submit as part of
the bid justifying why your company has the best product for the job. In the report, you
need to also highlight the four advantages your company product possesses over other
products which can be used for the same job.[8 marks]

(b) You have been tasked to recommend the methods to be used for the conversion of
timber at a timber processing plant that is to be set up in Nyanga. There are different
species of timber at the plantation.
(i) Discuss the two factors that will determine the method to be used for
cutting the timber. [4 marks]
(ii) Illustrate with the aid of a well labelled diagram the three methods that will
be used in sawing the timber. [6 marks]

(c) State any two methods that are used to season timber. For each of the methods list
the defect that is likely to occur. [2 marks]

QUESTION 6

(a) A sieve analysis test carried out on a sample of soil of total mass 400g gave the
results shown in Table Q6A:

Table Q6A: Sieve analysis test results

Sieve size (mm) 19.0 9.5 4.75 2.36 1.18 0.6 0.3 0.15 0.075
Mass retained (g) 4.0 12.4 25.2 64.0 98.0 86.0 58.0 36.0 12.8

(i) Calculate the percentage by mass passing each sieve size. [4 marks]
(ii) Determine the percentage of sand and gravel. [2 marks]
(iii) Plot the particle size distribution curve. [5 marks]

(b) Describe with the aid of clearly labelled diagrams the structure of any one of the
following clay minerals. Explain the influence of the chemical structure on the physical
properties of the clay. State the engineering application of the clay mineral.
(i) Montmorillonite. [5 marks]
(ii) Illite. [5 marks]
(iii) Kaolinite. [5 marks]

(c) The results shown in Table 6B were obtained from a specific gravity
determination test.

Page 6 of 9
Table Q6B: Results of Specific Gravity Tests on Soil Samples

Sample No. M1 M2 M3 M4 Gs
1 12 45 56 40
2 15 28 34 27

Where M1 is the mass of the empty pycnometer (g), M2 is the mass of the pycnometer and
dry soil (g), M3 is the mass of the pycnometer and soil plus water (g) and M4 is the mass
of the pycnometer filled with water only (g).

(i) Calculate the specific gravity of the particles. [2 marks]

(ii) Explain the significance of the specific gravity of soil particles in
engineering applications. [2 marks]

Page 7 of 9
Figure Q6: Particle Size Distribution Chart

Page 8 of 9
QUESTION 7

(a) Describe with the aid of a flow chart, the industrial process for the manufacture of
cement at cement manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe.State the four main chemicals present
in cement. [8 marks]

(b) Describe any one of the following tests used to assess the workability of concrete:
(i) Slump test. [5 marks]
(ii) Compacting factor test. [5 marks]

(c) A new mine is proposedin Kadoma. There will be a shopping mall at the mine, a
new road, a smelter, a water treatment plant, a slime dam and electricity sub stations.
Outline the four applications of concrete products for the project. [4 marks]

(d) Discuss the three requirements of aggregates that you will consider in
recommending aggregates to use for concrete manufacture for a proposed agro-processing
plant in Mutoko. [3 marks]

END OF EXAMINATION

Page 9 of 9