Mar 29, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Academic Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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ME 429 - Composite Materials

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
This course introduces the student to the mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced composite materials. Topics to be covered include anisotropic stress-strain relationships, failure theories, and stress analysis of plates and shells. Different manufacturing methods and applications will be presented. Laboratory exercises include computer modeling of composite laminate performance and mechanical property testing of laminates. (prereq: ME 207  or MT 205 )
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Be familiar with indicial notation
  • Transform tensor quantities from one coordinate system to another
  • Compute stresses and strains for composite laminates subjected to in-plane, bending, and thermal loads
  • Apply different failure criteria to predict laminate failures
  • Be familiar with the most commonly-used manufacturing processes of composite structures
  • Be familiar with aerospace, automotive, recreational, and industrial applications of composite materials
  • Be familiar with several standard test methods of composite laminates

Prerequisites by Topic
  • Mechanics of materials

Course Topics
  • Introduction to composite materials (1 class)
  • Indicial notation, matrices, and tensors (4 classes)
  • Mechanics of a composite lamina (3 classes)
  • Extensional behavior of a symmetric laminate (3 classes)
  • Failure criteria (3 classes)
  • Bending behavior of a symmetric laminate (2 classes)
  • Thermal stresses in a symmetric laminate (2 classes)
  • Mechanical behavior of general laminates (3 classes)
  • Manufacturing processes (4 classes)
  • Test methods (4 classes)
  • Testing lab demonstration (1 class)
  • Review and examinations (3 classes)

Coordinator
Robert Rizza



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