MATERIALS: PROPERTIES & PERFORMANCE - 2026/7
Module code: ENG1107
Module Overview
The first part of the module provides an introduction to a range of common material properties and outlines major classes of materials. The second part of the module will aim to extend the students understanding of stress analysis from uni-axial to multi-axial conditions.
Module provider
Mechanical Engineering Sciences
Module Leader
WATTS John (Mech Eng Sci)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 4
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 58
Lecture Hours: 33
Tutorial Hours: 18
Guided Learning: 8
Captured Content: 33
Module Availability
Semester 1
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
n/a
Module content
Indicitive content includes:
- Material Properties
- Atomic bonding and structure
- Metals - Characteristics, properties and manufacturing
- Ceramics - Characteristics, properties, processing and manufacture.
- Polymers - Characteristics, properties and manufacture.
- Composites - Characteristics, properties and manufacture.
- Fracture Mechanics
- Fatigue
- Multiaxial behaviour - stress transformations of two-dimensional stress states; principal stresses; strain and strain gauges; strain transformation and principal strains; multiacial stress-strain relationship; poissons ratio and generalised Hooke's las and the relationship between shear modulus, Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio; introduction to failure criteria according to Rakine, Tresca and Von Mises.
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Materials Coursework | 50 |
| Examination | Exam (2 Hours) | 50 |
Alternative Assessment
n/a
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate understanding of the most important mechanical properties of the various main classes of engineering materials.
Thus the summative assessment for this module consists of:
Coursework [Learning outcomes 1 & 2]
Exam [Learning outcomes 3 & 4]
Formative assessment and feedback
Formative assessment takes place in the tutorials and verbal feedback is provided through tutorials where students are provided with individual comments on how they have approached solving problems; students are also provided with written solutions which provide a thorough exposition of the correct solution to the problems and also an indication of the various steps in the solution where it may have been possible to go astray and hence produce an incorrect answer.
Module aims
- To define and discuss the main mechanical properties and durability of engineering materials and to review the salient features of the main classes of materials in the context of these properties. In addition, factors relating to materials selection abd design, processing and sustainability will be addressed.
- To provide stundets with a basic introduction to the elastic response of solids to externally applied loads, including multi-axial stresses and strains, the stress-strain relationship and failure criteria.
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 001 | Demonstrate a qualitative understanding of the mechanical behaviour of metals, ceramics, polymers and composites and the parameters which govern the use of these materials in engineering applications. | K |
| 002 | Apply appropriate mathematical and scientific models to problems in material performance and appreciate the significance of the assumptions in these models. | CPT |
| 003 | Design simple components under multi-axial stress states by using a combination of stress analysis and the appropriate failure criteria | |
| 004 | Idealise simple engineering structures | K |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to introduce the fundamentals of Engineering Materials and stress analysis including a wide variety of applications.
The learning and teaching methods include lectures in which students will be introduced to the fundamental concepts amd demonstrations of the application of thes econcepts to solving complex problems, and tutorials in which students are guided through the problem solving process and given the opportunity to apply their learning individually and in small groups with academic guidance.
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ENG1107
Other information
The School of Engineering is committed to developing graduates with strengths in (i) employability, (ii) digital capabilities, (iii) global and cultural capabilities, (iv) sustainability and (v) resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas: Employability: Basic stress analysis and mechanical modelling are critical skills used by professional engineers; students will be developing key transferrable analytical skills which are directly transferrable to the engineering workplace. The module will showcase case studies linked to aerospace, biomedical, automotive and general engineering industries, hence students will develop understanding of the behaviour and performance of different materials and their applications across engineering sectors, which will lay the foundation for the students future careers. Digital capabilities: Students will be provided with video resources on materials manufacturing and processing, advanced mechanical testing of materials (e.g. fatigue, fracture and tensile tests) and other real industry applications to gain an understanding of the lectures. Sustainability: Through the examples and case studies selected as demonstrations in this module, the importance of sustainable engineering will be reinforced. One of the key learning outcomes of this module is for the students to understand fracture and fatigue of engineering materials that are crucial to the sustainability of structures and products in industry. Beyond basic concepts and analysis of these phenomena and properties, students will also get familiar with the industrial standard of mechanical testing, selection and design criteria for materials that are linked to sustainability requirement. Global and Cultural capabilities: The nature of the course requires students to demonstrate global awareness of materials safety and its societal impacts to sustanability of real industry. Resourcefulness and resilience: Students will develop resourcefulness in responding to problem-based and case studies cased task questions, as well as acquiring extended knowledge from references. They will share ideas and problem solving skilss during tutorials, therefore building their confidence and working towards achieving successfil outcomes.
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.