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2022/23 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

AVIA3080 Failure Analysis

10 creditsClass Size: 60

Module manager: Dr RF Cochrane
Email: r.f.cochrane@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2022/23

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

As with most engineering disciplines, advances in aviation have often been driven by the analysis of failures and subsequent changes in design and practice.This module aims to equip students with the ways of thinking and tools needed to conduct a failure analysis. Faced with the consequences of a failure in the aviation industry, which often involves loss of life, this appears at first sight to be a daunting task. The taught part of the module show students how, by adopting a systematic, methodical and logical approach, the causes of even very complicated failures can be determined and appropriate recommendations made to avoid future occurrences. This is illustrated via a number of real world case studies.Students are asked to adopt such an approach in carrying out a small, but nevertheless challenging, investigation into the failure of a component or simple system. They are required to determine the method and causes of failure and make recommendations as to how similar failures could be avoided in practice.

Objectives

The objectives of this module are to provide students with the knowledge and confidence to tackle a forensic engineering investigation and the opportunity to carry out such an investigation on a limited scale and against strict time constraints.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, candidates should be able to:
1. critically assess the causes, consequences, recommendations and impact of engineering failures in an aviation context;
2. critically assess likely causes of component failure from a knowledge of service conditions;
3. select the most appropriate techniques to employ to investigate the causes of failure on the basis of an initial hypothesis;
4. apply a wide range of microscopic and analytical techniques in the forensic investigation of metallurgical or materials failure;
5. recommend appropriate remedial measures to prevent recurrence of a given failure.

Skills outcomes
Students acquire the following competencies in the module. In each case, the means of acquiring the competency is shown. These competencies correspond with those specified in "The Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes", Third edition, Engineering Council, 2014. P = practiced ACTIVELY, F= Formatively Assessed, S = Summatively Assessed. Discussions refer to both in-class discussions of questions from broad to highly focused and semi-structured discussion centred around numerous case studies.

SKILL: SM1: HOW MANIFESTED: (F/P) through online learning, quizzes, videos, research and in-class discussion of case studies; (S) in two assignments - one historical and one practical - based on engineering failure analysis.
SKILL SM3: HOW MANIFESTED: (P) because failure of well-designed structures is usually multivariate, analysis of these is intrinsically interdisciplinary and so various engineering disciplines impact almost all of the in-class discussions. (S) because both assignments require students to integrate knowledge across engineering.
SKILL EA1: HOW MANIFESTED: (P) through in-class activities (discussions and interactive case studies) on the analysis of failures. F through inclusion of the engineering aspects of safety in online quizzes. (S) via application of engineering principles in the both assignments, during analysis of the causes of failures and the associated implications and recommendations.
SKILL EA3: HOW MANIFESTED: (P) through in class activities focusing on the application of simple mathematical and statistical models for analysing failures. (S) via similar approaches in the two assignments.
SKILL EA4: HOW MANIFESTED: (S) since failures of well-designed structures are almost invariably multifactorial students are required to analyse these using an integrated approach in their assignments.
SKILL D3: HOW MANIFESTED: (P) because most failure investigations begin, and sometimes end, with an incomplete set of evidence, students will be asked to consider the probability of different causes in the class activities and (S) in the two assignments.
SKILL EP1: HOW MANIFESTED: All of these are covered in the module, in the context of design, operation, maintenance and forensic engineering and its interface with safety operations and management and these pervade multiple discussions (P) framed around case studies and also impact both assignments (S).
SKILL EP2: HOW MANIFESTED: properties of materials and the relationship with different failure modes is covered in most of the online learning units, is at the centre of most group discussions and (S) is a fundamental part of the analysis required in both assignments.
SKILL EP6: HOW MANIFESTED: (F/P) through online-learning, quizzes and in-class discussion including material designation systems, design codes, fail safe and safe life approaches and maintenance procedures and the role these play in aviation safety; (S) these feature in the first historical failure analysis assignment, and relevant ones in the second, practical failure analysis assignment.
SKILL EP8: HOW MANIFESTED: (F/P) through online learning, quizzes, videos, research and in-class discussion of case studies, students are introduced to the fact that most failure analysis investigations work with incomplete sets of evidence; (S) in the second failure analysis assignment, students will be presented with an incomplete set of information and will need to exercise their analytical skills and knowledge to come up with, and justify, the most reasonable hypothesis.
SKILL AGS1: HOW MANIFESTED: students develop their problem solving and information retrieval skills by working in groups in class analysis and discussions (P) and in their individual analysis of a headline failure, in the first assignment, and in carrying out a failure investigation in the second assignment (S).
SKILL ELSEE6: (F/P) through online learning, quizzes, videos, research and in-class discussion of case studies focusing on health and safety, risk assessment and risk management in aviation safety; (S) in assignment 1 where students will be asked to consider these issues both leading up to and in the aftermath of a headline aviation failure.


Syllabus

The module will cover the following areas:
- Approach to failure analysis;
- In service failure modes;
- Anatomy of a failure investigation;
- The failure analysis toolbox;
- Fractography;
- Metallurgical failure analysis: mechanical failure, environmental effects; characteristics of fracture;
- Weld failure;
- Failure of polymers, ceramics and composites: special features of mechanical failure and environment;
- Failure prevention: design codes and inspection procedures;
- Failure in electronic components and devices.
These topics will be illustrated via a number of case studies relevant to the aviation sector.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Seminar82.0016.00
Independent online learning hours24.00
Private study hours60.00
Total Contact hours16.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)100.00

Private study

This module is taught as a flipped class and so students are expected to work through the learning unit(s) and prepare for the in-class discussion topics, PRIOR to each seminar. Students will also need to view the videos that seek to support various aspects of the module, particularly crash investigations. A key aspect of private learning is working on the formative and summative assignments.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Each learning unit concludes with an online test - the scores are uploaded to Grade Centre via SCORM for monitoring purposes.

The feedback on the first assignment is both formative and summative: this will enable students to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to enhance their efforts at the second assignment.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Report4 pages50.00
PresentationVerbal presentation50.00
In-course MCQOnline quizzes (formative)0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2022 15:31:49

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