Course info

The first part of the lecture covers the definition of mechanical equilibrium and its application to simple problems in form of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for elastic problems. Building up on this knowledge of linear-elastic mechanical problems, the basics of continuum plasticity are introduced, leading to non-linear FEA. In the second part of the lecture, the classical plasticity models are motivated from fundamental mechanisms occurring within the microstructure of materials. The correlations between atomic structure, microstructure and mechanical properties of materials are elucidated. The individual topics covered are:

• Mechanical properties of materials
• Basics of solid mechanics
• Basics of Finite Element Analysis
• Continuum plasticity and transition to micromechanics
• Microstructural mechanisms and microscopic descriptions of mechanical properties of materials
• Hardening mechanisms (grain boundary, dislocation, solid solution and precipitation hardening)
• Mechanical properties of main classes of materials (metals, polymers, glasses and ceramics)