Course detail

Limit States of Structures II

FSI-RMLAcad. year: 2026/2027

The course Limit States of Structures II expands the knowledge base of the preceding course Limit States of Structures I. It focuses on several significant aspects of engineering practice from the perspective of service life assessment under dynamic loading, advanced assessment of defect types such as cracks (the "damage tolerant" concept), and the service life assessment of polymers and polymer composites.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Petr Vosynek, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Solid Mechanics, Mechatronics and Biomechanics (ÚMTMB)

Entry knowledge

Static structural analysis of beam bodies.
Empirical calculation of machine parts.
Static structural analysis of parts using finite element method.
Material characteristics of metallic materials (without a crack and with crack) in terms of monotonic and cyclic loading and also in terms of reduced, normal, and elevated temperature.
Fatigue assessment of components without cracks and with cracks.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The graded credit consists of active participation in the exercises (preparation of documentation and a semester project) and a written part in the form of test questions.
Participation in the exercises is mandatory. Non-participation can be compensated for by completing the exercise assignment and demonstrating knowledge of the topic covered. Longer absences are compensated for by a special assignment according to the instructions of the instructor or lecturer.

Aims

The aim of the course is to expand the knowledge base in the field of limit state assessment, i.e., to build on the RMK course. More specifically, it aims to familiarize students with other important areas of strength and durability assessment of structures. These include the dynamic response of structures and the subsequent assessment of resulting deformation and stress states, advanced assessment of crack-type defects (the "damage tolerant" concept), and assessment of the service life of polymers and polymer composites.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Anderson, T. L.: Fracture mechanics: fundamentals and applications. Fourth edition. Boca Raton, [2017]. ISBN 978-1-4987-2813-3.
Dowling, N. E.: Mechanical behavior of materials: engineering methods for deformation, fracture, and fatigue, 4th ed. Boston: Pearson, c2013. ISBN 01-313-9506-8.
Lee, Y.L., Barkey M.E., Kang H.T.: Metal fatigue analysis handbook: Practical problem-solving techniques for computer-aided engineering. USA: Elsevier, 2012. ISBN 978-0-012-385204-5.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-IMB-P Master's

    specialization IME , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
    specialization BIO , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Petr Vosynek, Ph.D.

Syllabus

 Introduction to the course.
 Structural assessment under dynamic loading – seismicity, vibratory/vibration fatigue.
 Damage Tolerance concept – cycle asymmetry, loading history, crack propagation rate, crack premature closure/crack closure phenomenon, crack propagation models, residual stress/stresses, temperature gradient.
 Fatigue of polymers and polymer composites – specifics of fatigue behavior, methods for service life assessment and modeling.
 Probabilistic estimation of fatigue life – statistical distribution of input parameters/variables, estimation of failure probability vs. residual life of a component.

Computer-assisted exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Petr Vosynek, Ph.D.

Syllabus

 Safety assessment under seismic loading
 Service life assessment, vibration fatigue
 Experimental determination of v-K curves and fatigue crack propagation analysis
 Estimation of residual fatigue life using the NASGRO equation
 Analysis of crack premature closure under variable amplitude loading
 Analysis of input variable scatter in residual fatigue life assessment