Assessment Task

Instructions:

Provide a 1500 words assignment in the form of a Technical Report on the research and experiments undertaken during the Laboratory Sessions in the Materials Test Laboratory.

The research report needs to be structured according the sections listed in the Report Template file in the 'Links to Supporting Documents/Materials' below.

Report content needs to include coverage of the material and questions raised in the laboratory session notes provided below:

- Laboratory Session 1: Defects and Failures

This laboratory session focuses on the investigation of the causes of failures and/or defects found in engineering components, based on forensic examination (primarily visual) of the failed specimens.
Where you deem appropriate, comment on:
• Primary material(s) of the specimen
• Location of the failure, including component size, geometry, machining, &surface finish
• What initiated the failure
• How the failure process developed/progressed
• Estimated ‘relative' timescale involved in the failure process
• Where catastrophic failure occurred, do you consider that there may have been ‘warning' of the impending failure before the it occurred? And if so, what warning may have occurred? Is there any evidence on the specimen?

Procedures:
Carefully examine each component and capture relevant images either by electronic means through a microscope or a photograph of the specimen.
The investigation should thoroughly research the likely cause/s of failure, with labelled sketches where required; and suggest remedies to avoid these in future.
Each illustration in the final report should
• Reference the metallurgical failure specimen involved and the location/orientation as necessary
• Clearly address the appropriate concept taught in the module

- Laboratory Session 2: Aluminium Honeycomb Quasi-Static Compressive Test

In this laboratory session you will perform quasi-static (low speed) compressive tests on aluminium honeycomb samples using a Hounsfield Tensile test machine.
The following questions need to be addressed in your report on the testing:
• How consistent are the test results? (Use the average stress-deformation and justify your answer based on visual observation only)
• What is the average crush strength of the samples you've used?
• What is the reason for the initial spike on the diagram?
• Measure the thickness of the crushed material and using the initial dimensions, what do you calculate/workout as the average densification ratio of the tested samples?

Laboratory Session 3: Tay Bridge - A Study of Structural Integrity

You will perform an analysis ‘on the bench' of the failure to research the structural integrity of the Tay bridge before and after the failure of the Tay Bridge from examination of:
• Contemporary Images
• Eyewitness and investigations/reporting at the time
• Scale Models
• Discussions and investigative questioning

Laboratory Session 4: Tay Bridge - A Study of Structural Integrity
- The Scope of the Study
In this study, your focus is NOT to:
• Identify the issues with quality of manufacture, construction, or maintenance
• Attempt to identify specific initiators/root cause(s) of the incident
• Apportion blame

Your remit in this study is to identify and describe what you consider are aspects (up to three) of the structure's design that affected its structural integrity, possibly relating to the following:
• The possible contributory cause(s) of failure
• The ‘domino effect' on the ‘High Girders'
• The apparent better robustness of the ‘Low Girders'

Your discussion could briefly consider:
• In the context of the time, available material technologies; and project challenges, why was it designed the way it was? What would/could you have done differently?
• Could there have been a ‘supremo' engineer culture discouraging more junior engineers to question? (A ‘Tenerife Air Disaster' outcome - encourage, and have the confidence, to question decisions of persons more senior - ‘Tell me Why?')
• What is your role when evaluating Structural Integrity?

In order to efficiently utilise word count, where appropriate try to use:
- diagrams
- images
- appendices

Attachment:- Lab_Sessions.rar