Course detail

Limit States of Materials and Structures

FSI-6MS-AAcad. year: 2026/2027

Designing machines, vehicles, and structures that are safe, reliable, and economical requires efficient use of materials and assurance that structural failure does not occur. Therefore, it is appropriate for undergraduate engineering majors to study the mechanical behaviour of materials, specifically topics such as deformation, fracture, and fatigue. This course also reviews micromechanics and micromechanical aspects of brittle fracture, fatigue failure, and creep rupture. It covers the fundamentals of fracture mechanics and the application of fracture mechanics to the integrity assessment of machine parts and structures with cracks under static, cyclic, and creep loading. The course examines the influence of size effects and loading conditions on the fracture toughness of materials.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

Assignment to study programme types

Bachelor's

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Ivo Dlouhý, CSc.

Department

Institute of Materials Science and Engineering (ÚMVI)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Introductory university course in math, chemistry, physics and material science.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Course-unit credit is awarded on condition of meeting the following requirements: participation in all exercises and preparation of protocols according to the teacher’s instructions. Attendance at exercises is compulsory, and any absence must be properly excused. In case of absence, the student is required to prepare a protocol to demonstrate understanding of the topic.

Graded course-unit credit is awarded under the following conditions: participation in all exercises, preparation of protocols according to the teacher’s instructions, and successful completion of a test. The written test consists of theoretical questions. In the written part of the examination, the student answers various short questions. In the oral part, the student explains the theoretical question if required.

Aims

The course is focused on the methods for securing the integrity of mechanical equipment and design. Methods consist of two parts: (i) calculation as such, and (ii) the estimation the material resistance against failure. The aim of this course is to explain the principle of evaluation of material resistance against failure by means of basic material characteristics (yield stress, fracture toughness, or time to rupture curve).

This subject is included into study plan of 3rd year of general bachelor's study as a compulsory-optional one. It is recommended as a prerequisite of branches M-ADI, M-FLI, M-IMB, M-MTI, M-MET or M-PRI.
The course enables the students to get an overview of the principle, way of measurement, as well as practical application of mechanical characteristics of engineering materials.

Study aids

In addition to the recommended literature, PowerPoint presentations from lectures.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Anderson T.L:: Fracture Mechanics, Fundamentals and Applications, CRS Press 1995
Ashby F.M.- Jones D.R.H.:: Engineering Materials I,II,Pergamon Press 1995
Dowling E.N.: : Mechanical Behaviour of Materials,Prentice Hall International Editions 1993

Type of course unit

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Lukáš Řehořek, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Ivo Dlouhý, CSc.
Ing. Jakub Judas, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Subject definition: limit states of materials
Elastic deformation (bonding and structure in materials, trends in elastic modulus values)
Plastic deformation (discussion of plastic deformation)
Plastic deformation (engineering stress-strain properties)
Time-dependent behaviour (creep and damping)
Fracture of flawed bodies – fracture toughness values KIc and Gc
Extensions of fracture mechanics beyond linear elasticity – fracture toughness values JIc and CTOD
Brittle fracture of steel – fracture toughness approach
Fatigue of materials – introduction and stress-based approach
Fracture behaviour ceramic and polymers

Laboratory exercise

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Ivo Dlouhý, CSc.
Ing. Lukáš Řehořek, Ph.D.
Ing. Jakub Judas, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Laboratories exkursion
Elastic deformation – discussion and examples
Plastic deformation – discussion and examples
Transition fracture behaviour of steel – discussion and examples
Fracture mechanic – discussion and examples
Fatigue of metals – discussion and examples
Creep and creep fracture – discussion and examples
Case studies - metals
Case studies - plasts, ceramics
Case studies and credit