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Unit outline_

AMME9302: Materials 1

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

This unit is an introductory course in engineering materials. The unit aims to develop students' understanding of the structures, mechanical properties and manufacture of a range of engineering materials as well as how the mechanical properties relate to microstructure and forming and treatment methods. The unit has no prerequisite subject and is therefore intended for those with little or no previous background in engineering materials. However the unit does require students to take a significant degree of independent responsibility for developing their own background knowledge of materials and their properties. The electrical, magnetic, thermal and optical properties of materials are a critical need-to-know area where students are expected to do most of their learning by independent study.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
AMME5302 OR CIVL5501
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Xiaozhou Liao, xiaozhou.liao@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Open book) Type C final exam hurdle task Final exam
Open book written exam
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment hurdle task Lab report
Analysis of mechanical properties of materials based on experimental data
10% Multiple weeks No more than 5 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Mechanical Properties Assignment
Working through assignment questions
10% Week 04
Due date: 03 Sep 2021 at 23:59
~8 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Crystalline Structure and Defect Assignment
Working through assignment questions
5% Week 06
Due date: 17 Sep 2021 at 23:59
~5 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3
Assignment Phase Diagram Assignment
Working through assignment questions
5% Week 08
Due date: 08 Oct 2021 at 23:59
~5 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO5
Assignment Ceramics Assignment
Working through assignment questions
5% Week 10
Due date: 22 Oct 2021 at 23:59
~ 5 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5
Assignment Polymer and Composite Assignment
Working through assignment questions
5% Week 12
Due date: 05 Nov 2021 at 23:59
~5 A4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5
Assignment Materials Report
written report
10% Week 13
Due date: 12 Nov 2021 at 23:59
~1,500 words in the main text
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
Type C final exam = Type C final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Lab report: This report will be on the mechanical properties laboratory session. Attendance at the laboratory event is compulsory. Non attendance will result in a fail in this Unit of Study. Labs for Online attendees are only available in Week 7.
  • Materials Report: A report on a material of students’ choice.
  • Assignments: written assessments of individual components of the UoS.
  • Final exam: Written assessment of the entire course.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The Assessment Procedures 2011 provide that any written work submitted after 23:59 pm on the due date will be penalised by 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. If the assessment is submitted more than ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Mechanical Properties Laboratory Practical (2 hr) LO2
5 Assignments Individual study (60 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Lab report Individual study (5 hr) LO1 LO2
Materials Report Independent study (20 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 01 Introduction Lecture (1 hr) LO2
Mechanical properties Lecture (2 hr) LO2
Week 02 Mechanical Properties Lecture (3 hr) LO2
Week 03 Ductile and Brittle Fracture, Fatigue and Creep Lecture (2 hr) LO2
Structure of Crystalline Solids Lecture (1 hr) LO3
Week 04 Structure of Crystalline Solids Lecture (1 hr) LO3
Imperfections in Solids Lecture (2 hr) LO3
Week 05 Dislocations and Plastic Deformation Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Strategies for Metal Strengthening Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Phase Diagrams – Binary Phase Diagrams Lecture (1 hr) LO4
Week 06 Phase Diagrams – Binary Phase Diagrams Lecture (2 hr) LO4
Phase Diagrams – The Iron–Carbon System Lecture (1 hr) LO4
Week 07 Phase Transformations Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Microstructures & Mech. Properties of Fe-C Alloys Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Applications and Processing of Metal Alloys Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Week 08 Applications and Processing of Metal Alloys Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Ceramics – Structures Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Ceramics – Mechanical Properties Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Week 09 Ceramics – Types and Applications Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Ceramics – Fabrication and Processing Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Polymer Structures Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Week 10 Polymer Structures Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Characteristics & Processing of Polymers Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Composites – Classification Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Week 11 Composites – Mechanical Behaviour Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Composites – Production Methods Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Corrosion & Degradation Lecture (1 hr) LO6
Week 12 Corrosion & Degradation Lecture (1 hr) LO6
Structural Characterisation of Materials Lecture (1 hr) LO3
Materials selection for design Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 13 Materials selection for design Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Review of the UoS Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Weekly Topics aligned with lectures Tutorial (24 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

  • Tutorial attendance: Students are expected to complete pre-tutorial tasks. Tutorials begin in week 2. 
  • Laboratory attendance: Laboratories will be held from week 3 on Monday to Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm. Each afternoon will have three sessions (2 pm – 3 pm, 3 pm – 4 pm, and 4 pm – 5 pm). Your lab demonstrator will inform you the time slot for your lab session. Each student is required to attend only once during the semester for the Mechanical Property Laboratory. Attendance is compulsory. Non-attendance will result in a fail in this Unit of Study.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Callister, W. D. Jr, Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction (10th Revised edition). Wiley, 2019. 9781119561750.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. communicate effectively materials science and engineering issues in oral and/or written presentations.
  • LO2. describe the main mechanical properties of materials, how to test for each, and how to analyse and calculate the results of a test
  • LO3. describe, in relatively simple terms, the crystal structure and associated crystal imperfections of materials, electron microscopic techniques for materials structural characterisation, describing theoretically, schematically and mathematically
  • LO4. understand the basics of binary phase diagrams and to be able to use them in describing and measuring the effects of heat treatment on microstructure. The significance of metastability is a key focus, particularly in relation to metallurgy
  • LO5. describe, in relatively simple terms, the manufacture of metals, ceramics, and polymers and the effect of the manufacturing process on properties, and the significance of this in terms of engineering design and applications
  • LO6. understand the basics of corrosion and degradation of materials and some corrosion prevention methods

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Based on student feedback, we remove group work, adjust the weights of assessment tasks. Based on suggestion from Materials academics, we add contents on Materials Selection for Design.

More information related to this unit will be provided in class.

Work, health and safety

Students have to wear a face mask during their in campus lab class. No open-toe shoe is allowed in the lab.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.