MSE Master of Science in Engineering

The Swiss engineering master's degree

Each module contains 3 ECTS. You choose a total of 10 modules/30 ECTS in the following module categories: 

  • 12-15 ECTS in technical scientific modules (TSM)
    TSM modules teach profile-specific specialist skills and supplement the decentralised specialisation modules.
  • 9-12 ECTS in fundamental theoretical principles modules (FTP)
    FTP modules deal with theoretical fundamentals such as higher mathematics, physics, information theory, chemistry, etc. They will teach more detailed, abstract scientific knowledge and help you to bridge the gap between abstraction and application that is so important for innovation.
  • 6-9 ECTS in context modules (CM)
    CM modules will impart additional skills in areas such as technology management, business administration, communication, project management, patent law, contract law, etc.

In the module description (download pdf) you find the entire language information per module divided into the following categories:

  • instruction
  • documentation
  • examination 
Fatigue Design (TSM_FaDes)

The course addresses fundamental and technical issues related to the design and maintenance of structures that shall not fail under cyclic loading. Students will be taught the principles of fatigue testing and fatigue failure analysis of mechanical structures, addressing the issues of how fatigue behavior is characterized, how fatigue failure is predicted, which physical mechanisms are responsible for the initiation and propagation of fatigue in various materials, with particular emphasis on metals and structural alloys, and how this behavior is related to the microstructure of the material.
This course will also present the most important applications of fatigue design in industry, including failure analysis, fatigue life calculation, experimental techniques, destructive and non-destructive methods of damage detection and characterization.

Prerequisites

  • Mathematics, Calculus and Mathematical Analysis
  • Linear algebra and analytical geometry
  • Material Science and Engineering
  • Solid Mechanics
  • Basics of mechanics of composite materials
  • Basics of computational mechanics, including finite element methods

 

 

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the theory of fracture mechanics applied to brittle, ductile and quasi-brittle materials;
  • Learn experimental techniques for the characterization of the propertie affecting crack onset and propagation;
  • Understand the fatigue phenomenon of materials, including factors that affect the residual life of structures under cyclic loading and analytical methods for fatigue strenght assessment;
  • Use computational mechanics as a tool to solve fracture mechanics problems and prediction of fatigue life;
  • Apply the knowledge of fatigue and fracture mechanics in the design of structures and to investigate possible causes of structural failure;

Contents of Module

Introduction to Fracture Mechanics

Linear Elastic Fracture mechanics

  • Griffith’s analysis, 1st law of thermodynamics and crack growth, Energy release rate (ERR)
  • Stress analysis and stress intensity factor (SIF). Failure modes (mode I, II and III)
  • Relation between the SIF and ERR
  • Mixed-mode propagation
  • Plane stress, plane strain, R-curve, and stability of the propagation
  • Experimental determination of the Fracture toughness: standard and non-standard methods

Elasto-plastic fracture mechanics

  • Crack opening displacement (COD)
  • J integral
  • Relation between J-integral, COD and ERR

Fatigue of metals, plastic and composite materials

  • Fatigue limit
  • Factors affecting the crack propagation process
  • Fatigue in brittle and ductile solids
  • Low Cycle Fatigue and High Cycle Fatigue: application of strain- or stress-life approach in different scenarios
  • Analytical and numerical methods for fatigue strength assessment
  • Fatigue and random vibration analyses
  • Fatigue of welded structures
  • Fatigue of composite and plastic materials
  • Experimental assessment of the fatigue behaviour
  • Application of the theory concepts to the fatigue strength assessment in real industrial case studies

Computational fracture mechanics

  • Determination of the SIF
  • Determination of the J-Integral
  • Virtual Crack Closure technique
  • Cohesive elements

 

Teaching and Learning Methods

  • Lectures in presence
  • Tutorial in presence
  • Self-study


 
 
 
 
 
 

Literature

Lecture notes and learning material will be distributed to students during the semester, along with references to books and scientific papers for the specific topics discussed. 

Download full module description

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