Module Information

Module Title Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue

Module Code RMD2508

1. MODULE SUMMARY

Aims and Summary

This module is intended to prepare the students to apply fracture mechanics principles and fatigue design
methods to design turbomachinery components. Students will be taught principles of solid mechanics for
stress analysis of cracked components and structures for design against fracture. Principles of linear-elastic
and elastic/plastic fracture mechanics and their applications will be taught. Students will be trained to
apply different methods of fatigue analysis to design components against fatigue loading. Students will be
able to use ANSYS, MSC/NASTRAN and FESAFE codes to analyse fracture and fatigue problems.

Module Size and Credits

Module size Single

CATS points 10
ECTS credits N/A
Open / restricted Restricted
Availability on/off campus On Campus/Off campus
Total student study hours 100
Number of weeks 5 weeks Full-time or 8 weeks Part-time.
Department responsible Department of Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering

Academic Year 2012

Entry Requirements (pre-requisites and co-requisites)

Normally to be qualified for entry to the Postgraduate Engineering Programme
Excluded Combinations
None
Composition of Module Mark (including weighting of components)
Full-time / Part-time : 50% Written Examination and 50 % Assignment
Pass Requirements

A minimum of 40 % marks in the written examination and a minimum of 40% marks in the assignment are
required for a pass and overall 40% marks
Special Features
80% attendance in theory and 80% attendance in laboratory are required.
It is likely that considerable time will be spent in School facilities outside of normal timetabled class time.
Courses for which this module is mandatory

M.Sc. [Engg] in Rotating Machinery Design

Courses for which this module is a core option

M.Sc. [Engg] in Technology and Engineering Management

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 2. TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT
Intended Module Learning Outcomes
After undergoing this module, students will be able to:
1. Explain the deformation and fracture characteristics of engineering materials and the associated
material property data to recognize situations appropriate for fracture and fatigue analysis
2. Apply the theory of Fracture Mechanics to carry out stress analysis of cracked components and
structures for design against fracture
3. Apply different methods of fatigue analysis to design components against fatigue loading
4. Carry out Fracture and Fatigue analysis for different components / materials using software tools

Indicative Content
Class Room Lectures
1. Introduction and Overview of Fracture mechanics: Introduction, Overview of fracture Mechanics,
Conventional design process, Fracture mechanics design approach, Brittle and ductile fracture,
Terminologies, Fracture analysis, Stress concentration effect of flaws, The Griffith energy balance
approach
2. Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics: Introduction, The energy release rate (G), Load controlled,
Displacement controlled, Instability and R-curve, Stress analysis of cracks, The stress intensity factor
(SIF), Relationship between K and global behaviour; Principle of superposition; Relationship between
K and G
3. Crack Tip Plasticity and Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics: Introduction, Crack-tip plasticity,
Different models of crack-tip plasticity, EPFM (YFM), CTOD, J-integral, Mixed mode fracture
4. Fracture Toughness Testing of Metals: Background, Specimen Configurations, Specimen
Orientation, Fatigue Pre-cracking, Instrumentation; Side Grooving, Plain Strain Fracture Toughness,
K-R Curves
5. Computational Fracture Mechanics: Introduction, Numerical methods, Traditional methods in
computational fracture mechanics, Point matching method, Energy method, Mesh design, Singular
elements
6. Introduction and Overview of Fatigue: Introduction, History, Fundamental concepts, Strategies in
fatigue design, Fatigue design criteria, Macro/micro aspects of metal fatigue, Fatigue analysis, Fatigue
life prediction
7. Fatigue analysis- Stress-life approach: Introduction, S-N Curve, Endurance limit, Modification
factors, Stress-life approach to fatigue life prediction
8. Fatigue analysis-Strain-life approach: Introduction, Strain-life approach, Response of material to
cyclic loading, Cyclic stress-strain relationship, Strain-life behavior, Strain-life equation, Mean stress
effect
9. Fatigue Crack Growth Laws: Introduction, Fatigue crack growth, Fatigue crack growth laws, Crack
closure effects, The fatigue threshold, Crack growth retardation, Growth of short cracks
10. Variable amplitude loading, Fatigue crack growth, Variable loading, Multi-axial fatigue;
Experimental measurement of fatigue crack growth, Designing against fracture, Damage tolerance
design methodology

Laboratory Practice
1. Introduction to software tools like ANSYS, MSC/ NASTRAN, FE Safe
2. Demonstration and practice of stress analysis of cracked bodies using software
3. Demonstration and practice of fatigue analysis of mechanical components using software

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Teaching and Learning Methods
Theoretical Knowledge
a. Face to face lectures from a module leader
30 hours
Laboratory Practice (Skills)
30 hours
Application Orientation and Problem Solving
a. Reading
b. Research
c. Written Examination
d. Assignment Solving and Documentation
40 hours

Method of Assessment

Part-A

Examination [50%]

1. Viva/Presentation on a specified topic............................................... (10%)

2. Student performance on classroom tests............................................ (10%)

3. Written examination............................................................................(30%)

Part –B

Assignment [50% Weightage]

Students are required to submit a word processed assignment report.

Assessment
Learning Outcomes 1 2 3 4
Part A X X X
Part B X X X X
Both written examination scripts and assignment reports will be double marked/valued

Re-assessment

A minimum of 40 % marks in the written examination and a minimum of 40% marks in the assignment are
required for a pass in the module.
A student failing in any one of the components or both is considered as FAIL in the module. A failed
student is required to retake the module at the next opportunity. A maximum of 3 attempts including the
original are allowed.
Date of Last Amendment

November 2011

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 3. MODULE RESOURCES

Essential Reading

1. Module Notes

Recommended Reading

Books
1. Ted L. Anderson. (2005) Fracture mechanics: fundamentals and applications, 3rd edition, CRC
Press.
2. Michael Janssen, Jan Zuidema and R. J. H. Wanhill. (2004) Fracture mechanics, 2nd edition, Taylor
and Francis.
3. Nestor Perez. (2004) Fracture mechanics, Springer.
4. E. E. Gdoutos. (2005) Fracture mechanics: an introduction, 2nd edition, Springer.
5. Arun Shukla. (2004) Practical fracture mechanics in design, 2nd edition, CRC Press.
6. L. P. Pook. (2000) Linear elastic fracture mechanics for engineers: theory and applications, WIT
Press.
7. K.R.Y Simha and K.R.V. Simha. (2001) Fracture Mechanics for Modern Engineering Design,
Orient Blackswan.
8. Ralph Ivan Stephens, Henry Otten Fuchs, Ali Fatemi and Robert R. Stephens. (2000) Metal fatigue
in engineering, 2nd edition, Wiley-IEEE.
9. Ky Dang Van and Ioannis Vassileiou Paradopoulos. (1999) High-Cycle Metal Fatigue: From
Theory to Applications, Springer Verlag.
10. Jaap Schijve. (2001) Fatigue of structures and materials, Springer.

Journals
1. International Journal of Fracture, Springer
2. Engineering Fracture Mechanics: An International Journal, Elsevier
3. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures, WILEY
4. International Journal of Fatigue, Elsevier
5. Advances in Fracture Mechanics Series, WIT press

Magazines
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Internet Sites
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Laboratory

Hardware: PCs

Software: MSC/NASTRAN, NISA-Endure, ANSYS, FESAFE

Software Manual: MSC/NASTRAN, NISA-Endure, ANSYS, FESAFE

4. MODULE ORGANISATION

Module Leader

Name M.L.J Suman

Room B502-4

Telephone number 080-49065555-2407

E-mail suman.m@msrsas.org

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Date and Time of Examination

As per time table

Subject Quality and Approval Information

Subject Quality Group / Subject Board Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering

Subject Assessment Board Postgraduate Engineering and Management Programmes

Shortened title F&F

Date of approval by MARP November 2011

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