The University for business

and the professions

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

BEng / MEng in Aeronautical Engineering

BEng / MEng in Air Transport Engineering
BEng / MEng in Mechanical Engineering
BEng / MEng in Energy Engineering
BEng / MEng in Automotive and Motorsport Engineering

ENGINEERING MATERIALS: PROPERTIES AND SELECTION

Module: ME1103
Part 1 Examination

Date: Friday 15 May 2009 Time: 1430 - 1630

Answer FOUR of the SIX questions

Answer books to be provided: ONE INCLUDING GRAPH PAPER

Calculators permitted: Casio FX-83 or FX-85 MS/ES ONLY
Tables / graph paper required: NO
Can question paper be removed from the examination room: YES

External Examiner: Professor R Crookes

Internal Examiner: Dr R Goodey

Question 1

a) Using diagrams define the yield stress of a material.

[4 marks]

b) On a single diagram sketch full stress-strain plots for the following materials:
a. A ceramic
b. A ductile steel
c. Nylon
Label the points or regions relating to the Young’s modulus and the fracture
strength. Make some comments about the relative ductility of each material.
[9 marks]

c) Discuss the four commonly occurring states of engineering stress. Use diagrams
and give examples where these stress states occur.
[12 marks]

1 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09
Question 2

A rectangular steel specimen is subjected to a tensile test. The initial dimensions are
given in Figure Q2. Table Q2 gives the results in terms of load and deflection.

Load (kN) Extension (mm)

0 0 9mm
12.7 0.025
38.1 0.076
76.2 0.152 50mm
92.7 0.254
107.8 0.508
128.3 1.016
159.0 3.048
159.5 4.064
20mm
Table Q2
F

Figure Q2

a) From the given data generate a table of engineering stress versus engineering
strain and plot these on a graph.
[10 marks]

b) Calculate the Young’s modulus from the graph.

[5 marks]

c) During the test the width of the sample was monitored. When the load was
76.2kN it was found that the width had reduced to 19.98mm. Calculate the
Poisson’s ratio of the material.
[5 marks]

d) Hence calculate the apparent stress normal to the direction of load.

[5 marks]

2 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09
Question 3

Name the materials that are commonly used in the manufacture of each of the
following three components. Indicate why this material is chosen and describe briefly
the processes required to manufacture each item.

a) An engine block for a car.

[8 marks]

b) I-beams for large structures.

[8 marks]

c) The outer case of a mobile phone.

[9 marks]

3 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09
Question 4

a) Draw a curve representing the relationship between separation distance and

potential energy for a pair of atoms. On this curve mark the point corresponding
to where the force between the atoms is zero.
[6 marks]

b) Chromium has a body centred cubic crystal structure as indicated in Figure

Q4(a). If the atomic weight is 52g/mol, the radius of an atom is 0.125nm,
Avogadro’s number is 6.02 x 1023 and the side length of the unit cell, a, is given
by:

4R
a=
3

Calculate the theoretical density of chromium.

[5 marks]

c) The measured density of chromium is 7.19g/cm3. Explain why the theoretical

density differs from this value.
[4 marks]

d) Explain why, in general, ρmetals > ρceramics > ρpolymers.

[4 marks]

e) Figure Q4(b) shows a single crystal of a material subjected to an axial stress.

Calculate the resolved shear stress. If the critical resolved shear stress is 30MPa
will the crystal yield? If there is no yield what applied stress is required?
[6 marks]

φ = 60°
λ = 35°

Figure Q4(a)

σ = 65MPa

Figure Q4(b)

4 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09
Question 5

a) Many engineering metals are polycrystalline. Describe what is meant by this and
what affect this has on the material’s properties when compared with a single
crystal of the material.
[5 marks]

b) Describe three techniques for strengthening metals. Describe (with the aid of
sketches if appropriate) how the crystal or grain structure might be affected by
each technique. Indicate how the strengthening effect is achieved.
[15 marks]

c) A sample of 1040 steel is subjected to cold work. The original sample was a
cylindrical bar of diameter 10mm. Assuming the bar remains cylindrical,
calculate the percentage cold work when the bar is reduced in diameter to 8.8mm
and hence (using Figure Q5) give the final yield strength.
[5 marks]

Figure Q5

5 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09
Question 6

Figure Q6 shows the phase diagram for a copper-silver alloy.

a) Describe the composition of the α and β phases respectively.

[2 marks]

b) Determine the eutectic composition in terms of percentage silver by weight. Give

the melting point of the eutectic composition.
[5 marks]

c) For the following temperatures and compositions give the phases present.
i. 30wt% Ag at 1000°C
ii. 85wt% Ag at 800°C
iii. 40wt% Ag at 450°C
[3 marks]

d) For the compositions in part c) above, where there are two phases present,
determine the weight fraction of each phase.
[10 marks]

e) Sketch and label the resulting microstructure of a copper-silver alloy at the

eutectic composition that has been allowed to cool slowly from 900°C to a
temperature below the eutectic isotherm.
[5 marks]

Figure Q6

6 of 6
ME1103 Materials May 09