2021 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Strength and Fracture of Materials (Mechanical Engineering)
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Akira Todoroki / Yoshihiro Mizutani / Chiaki Sato
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-4 Fri (I121)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.C331
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Based on the fundamentals of mechanics learned in Mechanics of Materials and Elastoplastic Mechanics, the instructor will teach the points listed below.
1.Introduction of various failure accidents
2. Fundamentals of linear fracture mechanics
3. Fracture toughness
4. Fatigue,Fatigue crack initiation, Fatigue crack propagation
5. Non-destructive inspection
6. Basic concept of design of strength
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the dangerous pointｓof design based on the examples of failure accidents.
2. Understand the principle of energy release rate.
3. Understand the principle of linear fracture mechanics.
4. Understand the fundamentals of strength, fatigue, design of strength.
5. Select appropriate non-destructive inspection method.
6. Design the strength appropriately to avoid fracture accidents.
failure and fracture of materials, and related mechanics.
2) Understand the fundamentals on the basic characteristics of material strength, fatigue life, and strength design.
3) Carried out strength design of machinery or structures.
4) Identify problems when maintenance troubles occur.
Keywords
Failure accident, Crack, Energy release rate, Stress intensity factor, Fracture toughness, R-curve, Fatigue, Non-Destructive Inspection, Fracture control design
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
In the first half students will gain an understanding of basic properties of material strength, as well as the fundamentals of fracture mechanics. In the second half they will learn about applications. Homework will be assigned in some classes for students to deepen their understanding. Please carefully read the learning goals for each class, and prepare and review diligently.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | History of accidents caused by the fracture of materials and the role of this course |
Understand the historical aspects on and percept from accidents caused by fracture of materials. |
| Class 2 | Failure of materials |
Understand the types and characteristics of materials. |
| Class 3 | Energy release rates |
Understand fracture mechanics in terms of energy balance and the Griffith's theory. |
| Class 4 | The stress field and stress intensity factor near a crack tip |
Understand the theory of elasticity of crack tip |
| Class 5 | Stress intensity factor |
Understating of stress intensity factors. |
| Class 6 | Examples of stress intensity factors and principle of superposition |
Understand the examples of stress intensity factors and principle of superposition. |
| Class 7 | Relationship between energy release rate and stress intensity factor |
Understand the principle of stress intensity factor though energy balance theory . |
| Class 8 | Plastic deformation at the crack tip |
Understand the plastic deformation at the crack tip. |
| Class 9 | Crack tip opening displacement and fracture toughness |
Understand the crack opening displacement fracture toughness. |
| Class 10 | Stable crack growth, R-Curve, Plain strain fracture toughness, Fracture appearance transition temperature, Dynamic fracture |
Understanding of Stable crack growth, R-Curve, Plain strain fracture toughness, Fracture appearance transition temperature, Dynamic fracture |
| Class 11 | The mechanism of fatigue crack initiation and propagation; time dependent fracture |
Understand crack initiation, velocity, threshold, the mechanism of crack propagation crack ; time dependent fracture opening displacements for fatigue cracks |
| Class 12 | Design of fracture control |
Understanding of the basic theory of fracture control and feasibility studies |
| Class 13 | Non-destructive inspection |
Introduction and understanding of non-destructive inspection. |
| Class 14 | Exercise |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Hideo Kobayashi, Fracture Mechanics (ISBN 978-4-320-08100-0), Kyoritsu Shuppan Co., Ltd.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Strength and Fracture of Materials （ISBN 4-901381-26-1）, The Society of Materials Science, Japan.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Graded with the results of several exercises
Related courses
- Mechanics of materials
- Elastoplastic mechanics
Prerequisites
It is preferable that all the students have enough knowledge on mechanics of materials and elastoplastic mechanics.