Description: Background and motivation:
Polymeric resin fibre reinforced materials (FRP´s or composite materials) are being used increasingly for structural applications where properties such as high strength, high stiffness and low weight are determining design parameters. The driving force behind the development and application of these materials has been the demands posed by the aerospace industry, but the use of advanced composite materials is expanding rapidly to other industrial sectors as well. Pertinent examples of this include applications for ship structures, automotive and train applications, wind turbine blades and civil engineering applications including bridge structures.

Objectives and contents:
The purpose of the course is to present the participants with a general overview and an introduction to recent advances and modern techniques for analysis and design of advanced composite structures. The following topics will be treated:
 Applications: Past, present and future
 Fibres and resin materials: Types and properties
 Laminae and laminates: Micro-mechanical models, modelling of the laminae, classical lamination theory (CLT)
 Analysis of composite structures: Beam, plate and shell modelling
 Thermal effects
 Fracture and failure including fatigue
 Brief introduction to 3-D effects and general design principles
 Finite element analysis of laminated composite structures
 Non-linear finite element analysis and prediction of progressive damage evolution, debonding and failure/collapse
 Design optimization of laminated composite structures with focus on gradient based optimization of linear and nonlinear problems
 Fundamental aspects of mechanics of sandwich structures

Course Language

The course will be given in English.

Teaching Material

The text book R. M. Jones: Mechanics of Composite Materials, Taylor & Francis, London, 1998, 519 pp., ISBN 156032712X, is the baseline reference used.
In addition, extensive course notes will be handed out to the participants. 

Course Format and Work Load

The course will consist of a condensed session comprised of 5 full days of lectures, work on assignments and discussions at AAU. After the course session the course participants (PhD students) are expected to solve and submit homework assignments. Diplomas will be issued on the basis of course participation and evaluation of homework assignments, and entitle Ph.D. students to 5 ECTS, corresponding to 125-150 hours of work load.
 
Participants

The participants are expected to have a basic knowledge in mechanics. The course is aimed specifically at Ph.D. students, but the course is also recommended for industrial engineers and engineering scientists. University staff and final year M.Sc. students are welcome as well. University staff, M.Sc. students and participants from industry may be exempted from the homework assignments and the course evaluation/examination.

Course participation is free for Ph.D. students and university staff. Participants from industry will be charged DKK 12,500 (DKK 2,500 pr. ECTS).

For further information contact Professor Erik Lund, Phone (+45) 9940 9312, E-mail: el@m-tech.aau.dk.

Organizer: Professor Erik Lund, el@m-tech.aau.dk

Lecturers: Associate Professor Esben Lindgaard, Associate Professor Lars Chr. T. Overgaard, Professor Niels Olhoff, Professor Ole Thybo Thomsen and Professor Erik Lund

ECTS: 5

Time: 19–23 May, 2014

Place: Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16

Zip code: 9220

City: Aalborg

Number of seats:

Deadline: 28 April, 2014