NG4H241 - Fatigue and Fracture 01 Apr 2025 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 8

Associated Module Information

Module Code: NG4H241
Module Title: Fatigue and Fracture
Faculty: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science
Faculty Group: Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Faculty Sub Group: Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Module Leader: Robert Warren
Module Team: Vishagen Ramasamy, Joao Ramos
First Intended Intake: SEP 2012 Final Year of Intake: 2016
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 10 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100190 - mechanical engineering
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 8
Valid From 01 Apr 2025
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to enable students to carry out appropriate analysis to apply to designs where failure due to fatigue may be an issue. The analysis of cracks in structures allows the students to make informed decisions as to appropriate actions that can be taken to prevent unwanted catastrophic failure.

Content Summary

Fatigue:
Fatigue failure, testing, and standards.
Factors affecting fatigue (surface finish, size, stress concentrations, etc).
Effects of non-zero mean loads (Gerber, Goodman, Soderberg).
Cumulative fatigue damage (Miner’s rule, Manson’s rule).
Combined torsional and bending fatigue.

Fracture:
Fracture mechanics, testing, and standards
Griffiths approach
Stress intensity factor
Fracture toughness
Fatigue crack growth

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 14
Tutorial 7
Independent Study 73
Formative Assessment - Independent 3
Practical Classes and Workshops 3
Total Hours Selected 100

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 To critically assess case studies into fatigue and fracture failures to develop a deeper understanding as to why such failures occur in practice.
LO2 Critically analyse and solve a range of complex problems involving fatigue and fracture

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Case study 1 Fatigue and fracture case study 0 2000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Case study 1

Reading List

Meyers M.A., Chawla K.K., Mechanical Behaviour of Materials 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2009, ISBN: 978 80521866750Hertzberg R.W., Deformation and fracture mechanics of engineering materials 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1996, ISBN: 0-471-01214-9Budynas R., Nisbett K., Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design, SI Version, 9th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2011, ISBN 978 007131137

Anderson, T.L. (2017), Fracture Mechanics: Fundamentals & Applications, 4th Ed.; Boca Rotan: CRC Press