English

Fracture mechanics and complexity sciences

The course intends to provide the fundamental concepts of Nonlinear Fracture Mechanics as well as of Fractal Fracture Mechanics. Although this two advanced topics are both connected with Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics, a specific and extended knowledge of the latter is not required to the attendants. On the other hand, the nonlinear and the fractal aspects are both very important for practical applications and may be treated in the framework of Complexity Sciences.

As a matter of fact, from simple nonlinear rules a catastrophic and/or chaotic mechanical behaviour may derive. Two significant examples are provided by the cohesive constitutive law and by the unilateral constraint condition between the crack faces. The former produces ductile versus brittle size-scale transitions, where the brittle crack propagation is described by cusp catastrophe or snap-back load versus deflection branches. The latter produces nonlinear or chaotic vibrations.

On the other hand, from apparently disordered or chaotic situations a relatively ordered and regular condition may emerge
Code:
ILTOF01-EN
Price:
Free of charge

Basic acoustics

Basic acoustics is an introductory course on acoustics dealing with the following issues:

  • the wave equation
  • Fourier analysis
  • Helmholtz equation
  • reflection/absorption
  • propagation in ducts
...

Code:
ACUBT01-EN
Price:
€ 288,00

Fundamentals in linear elastic fracture mechanics

The course intends to provide the fundamental concepts of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics. After introducing the pioneering energy approach by A.A.Griffith (1920), the stress intensification concept is widely discussed, presenting the two fundamental mathematical approaches to solve the singular stress field in the crack tip vicinity:

  • (i) the complex potential method by Westergaard (1939), and
  • (ii) the series expansion method by Williams (1952).

With the latter, it is possible to study also the stress intensification at the vertex of re-entrant corners. Then, the fundamental relationship between the energy and the stress- ntensity approaches is illustrated according to the original demonstration due to G.R.Irwin (1957). The stress-intensity fracture criterion is also generalized to Mixed Mode conditions. In addition, the size of the plastic zone at the crack tip is evaluated, according to the different approaches by Irwin and Dugdale (1960).

Finally, the brittleness number is defined as a function of yield strength, fracture toughness and structural size-scale
Code:
ILTOF02-EN
Price:
Free of charge

Design for Six Sigma: an introduction

Authors:
Dr. Simon Barnard, Principal Consultant and Founder, SCB Associates Ltd.
Dr. David Moseley, Technical Director, EnginSoft UK Ltd.

This free introductory course covers the following topics:
  • An introduction to Design for Six Sigma
  • From problem solving to Design for Six Sigma
  • Six Sigma roadmaps: the process improvement roadmap (DMAIC) and the design process roadmap (IDOV)
  • Design for Six Sigma case study: Micro-actuator for Hard Disk Drive
    • Identify Phase - Customer Requirements and Critical to Quality (CTQ)
    • Design Phase
    • Optimise Phase: Design for Six Sigma using modeFRONTIER Design Optimisation
    • Validate Phase

The course is subdivided into 5 lectures with a total duration of about 1 hour. Each topic includes a questionnaire designed to test your comprehension.

To join this free course please do the following:
  1. register to improve.it website
  2. follow this link and log in
Code:
DFSS-101-EN
Price:
Free of charge

Metal Matrix Composites

The course gives an introduction to Metal Matrix Composites, in order to understand their peculiarities and potential for engineering applications. After the review of preliminary definitions, the main manufacturing processes are described, as well as the mechanical behaviour of these family of materials. Attention is then devoted to the “secondary” processes (casting, forging, extrusion, welding) suitable for MMCs and finally some significant applications are overviewed.
Code:
METRO08-EN
Price:
€ 120,00
Practical applications using computational contact mechanics José Luis Pérez-Aparicio editor

Practical applications using computational contact mechanics José Luis Pérez-Aparicio editor

The book is an outcome of the NUFRIC (Numerical Based Medium Level Training on Industrial Friction Problems) Leonardo da Vinci 2004-2006 Pilot Project which was granted by the European Community to a consortium of universities, research centres and semi-public and private training bodies including University of Granada - Coordinator (E), Leibniz University of Hannover (D), Politecnico di Torino (I), CIMNE (E), NAFEMS (UK), ENGINSOFT (I) and TCN (I).

Based on the experience of the authors in solving large-scale industrial problems, the book was designed as a complement to the companion book in the same SBE&S series A Guide for Engineers to Computational Contact Mechanics to give an easy way to step into computational contact mechanics. The book contains a worked out collection of test cases in different application areas, including civil, mechanical, and structural engineering, geomechanics, foundry processes, and rolling contact of tyres to provide a short guide for understanding the practical use of computational methods in contact mechanics.

Intended readers include PhD students and practical engineers that have to use numerical simulation tools to solve problems involving contact constraints and are willing to develop a robust background in this field.

José Luis Pérez-Aparicio, editor of the book, is currently a Professor for Aeronautics at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia - Spain. During the NUFRIC Project period he worked as a Research Professor for Structural Mechanics at the Universidad de Granada - Spain. He works on numerical methods applied to a range of fields, in particular active materials such as piezoelectric, civil construction, aeronautics and biomechanics of the eye.

24 x 15 cm, 223 pages. Price includes delivery cost by mail service.

Code:
ISBN–13 978-88-95176-01-7
Price:
€ 50,00
A guide for engineers to computational contact mechanics Zavarise Wriggers Nackenhorst

A guide for engineers to computational contact mechanics Zavarise Wriggers Nackenhorst

The book is an outcome of the NUFRIC (Numerical Based Medium Level Training on Industrial Friction Problems) Leonardo da Vinci 2004-2006 Pilot Project which was granted by the European Community to a consortium of universities, research centres and semi-public and private training bodies including University of Granada - Coordinator (E), Leibniz University of Hannover (D), Politecnico di Torino (I), CIMNE (E), NAFEMS (UK), ENGINSOFT (I) and TCN (I).

Based on the experience of the authors in teaching within NUFRIC project, the book was designed to provide a short guide for understanding computational contact mechanics. In fact, from a close look at the available literature on applied contact mechanics, it is apparent that a simple book for novices that need an easy introduction in the field is missing. This book is hence devoted to fill this gap, to give an easy way to “break the wall” and to step into contact mechanics with a positive and productive use of numerical methods. A useful complement to the material presented in this volume can be found in the book Practical Applications Using Computational Contact Mechanics published in the same SBE&S Series.

Intended readers include PhD students and practical engineers that have to use numerical simulation tools to solve problems involving contact constraints and are willing to develop a robust background in this field.

Giorgio Zavarise is Professor of Structural Mechanics at the Department of Structural Engineering at Università del Salento - Italy. His research activity is focused on contact mechanics. In particular, he developed constitutive relationships based on micro-mechanics, with thermo-mechanical and electro-mechanical coupling, and specific algorithms for dealing with contact problems.

Peter Wriggers is Professor of Mechanics in Civil Engineering at the Leibniz University of Hannover - Germany. He is internationally recognized as an expert in computational contact mechanics. He published more than 250 papers and 6 textbooks in the field of computational mechanics.

Udo Nackenhorst is Professor of Mechanics and Theory of Materials at the Department of Civil Engineering and Geodetic Sciences, Leibniz University of Hannover - Germany. His research activities are in the fields of rolling contact analysis and biomechanics of bones.

24 x 15 cm, 168 pages. Price includes delivery cost by mail service.

Code:
ISBN–13 978-88-95176-00-0
Price:
€ 50,00

Multiobjective optimisation with modeFRONTIER

This modeFRONTIER course provides a general introduction to modeFRONTIER, the multi-objective optimisation and design environment, produced by ESTECO Srl and distributed in Europe by EnginSoft SpA.

The modeFRONTIER course starts with a brief introduction on multi-variable and conflicting objective challenge solving in multi-disciplinary scenarios
After that, four main training modules are available:
Code:
MF101-EN

Metals and alloys: an introduction

After completing this course you will:
  • understand the structure of metals in solid state
  • understand the concept of metallic alloys
  • understand the basics of metals and alloys processing
  • understand the interactions among microstructure, processing and properties of metals and alloys
  • have a basic knowledge of steels, cast irons, Aluminium and Magnesium alloys...
Code:
METRO09-EN
Price:
€ 120,00

Concepts of fracture mechanics

This course has been prepared to meet the continuing demand for a course designed to present a clear, consistent, straight forward and unified interpretation of the basic concepts and underlying principles of Fracture Mechanics. The course begins with a brief account of some characteristic failures that could not be explained by the traditional failure criteria and of Griffith’s experiments which gave impetus to the development of a new philosophy in engineering design based on fracture mechanics. For the determination of the stress and deformation fields in cracked bodies the Westergaard method is introduced with particular emphasis on the local behaviour around the crack tip. The models of Irwin and Dugdale for the determination of the extent of plastic zone directly ahead of the crack are presented. The earliest attempt by Griffith to formulate a linear elastic theory of crack propagation will be discussed and analyzed. This is will lead us to the presentation of the theory of crack growth based on the global energy balance of the entire system and the Griffith criterion. The critical stress intensity factor criterion along with the experimental procedure for determining the plane strain critical intensity factor will be also presented and illustrated with examples. We will continue with the presentation of the J-integral in two dimensional problems and its physical intrpetation in terms of the rate of change of potential energy with respect to an incremental extension of crack. Experimental methods for the evaluation of the integral and the ASTM standard method for the determination of its critical value JIC will be described. Finally the usefulness and versatility of the strain energy density theory in solving a host of two and three dimensional problems of mixed mode crack growth in brittle and ductile fracture will be addressed. A selection of problems which cover the most important aspect of fracture mechanics is also included.
Code:
ILTOF08-EN
Price:
Free of charge
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