MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY

DD1 Knowledge and Understanding:
Basic knowledge of materials relevant to civil engineering, correlating their application-related properties with composition, structure, production, and processing technologies.

DD2 Applied Knowledge and Understanding:
Ability to apply the knowledge acquired during lectures in the practical exercises carried out throughout the course.

DD3 Making Judgments:
Ability to critically evaluate data and parameters in order to make decisions based on one’s knowledge and understanding within the field of materials technology. Ability to tackle and solve complex problems that require the application of knowledge across different areas of materials technology.

DD4 Communication Skills:
Students acquire communication skills both during lectures—thanks to continuous verbal interaction with the lecturer—and during the oral examination.

DD5 Independent Judgment:
Students learn to objectively evaluate what they have acquired during lectures and exercises, as well as to self-assess their own learning progress.

Learning Skills:
Learning abilities are assessed through the oral examination and the exercises, which represent an important component of the course.

The course will be done through lectures (3 CFU), ongoing tests and exercises (3 CFU). 

1.GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS. The Price and Availability of Materials. 2. STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. The Elastic Moduli. Definition of Stress. Definition of Strain. Hooke's Law. Measurement of Young's Modulus. Bonding between Atoms. The condensed states of matter. Interatomic forces. Packing of Atoms in Solids. The Physical Basis of Young's Modulus. Moduli of Crystals. Rubbers and the Glass Transition Temperature. Composites. Yield Strength, Tensile Strength, and Ductility. Linear and Nonlinear Elasticity. Load–Extension Curves for Nonelastic (Plastic) Behavior. True Stress–Strain Curves for Plastic Flow. Plastic Work. Tensile Testing. The Hardness Test. Dislocations and Yielding in Crystals. Strengthening Methods and Plasticity of Polycrystals  Fast Fracture and Toughness. Micromechanisms of Fast Fracture. Probabilistic Fracture of Brittle Materials. Fatigue Failure. Creep and Creep Fracture. Kinetic Theory of Diffusion. Mechanisms of Creep, and Creep-Resistant Materials. 3. METALS Metal Structures. Phase Diagrams. Driving Force for Solidification. Solid-State Phase Diffusive Transformations. Solid-State Phase Changes. Nucleation. Displacive Transformations. Diffusive F.C.C. to B.C.C. Transformation in Pure Iron. Time–Temperature–Transformation Diagram. Displacive F.C.C. to B.C.C. Transformation. Details of Martensite Formation. Light Alloys. Solid Solution Hardening. Age (Precipitation) Hardening. Carbon Steels. Microstructures after slow cooling and their mechanical properties. Quenched-and-Tempered Steels. Alloy Steels. Stainless Steels. Cast Iron. 4.POLYMERS AND COMPOSITES. Polymer Structures. Molecular Length. Molecular Architecture. Molecular Packing and Glass Transition. Mechanical Properties of Polymers. Stiffness—Time and Temperature Dependent Modulus. Strength—Cold Drawing and Crazing. Composites. Properties of Composites. Fiber Composites. Modulus. Tensile Strength. Toughness. 5. CORROSION. Oxidation of Materials.  The Energy of Oxidation. Rates of Oxidation. Micromechanisms. Wet Corrosion of Materials. Voltage Differences as the Driving Force for Wet Oxidation. Pourbaix (Electrochemical Equilibrium) Diagrams. Localized Attack. 6. CEMENT AND CONCRETE Chemistry of Cement. Structure of Portland Cement. Concrete. Strength of Cement and Concrete. High-Strength Cement. Reinforcing Cement and Concrete. Durability.

1. W. D. Callister, Jr.: “Materials Science and Engineering; An Introduction” - Wiley

2. W. F. Smith: “Materials Science and Engineering” - McGraw - Hill

3 . D. R. Askeland, P. P. Fulay, W. J. Wright, "The Science and Engineering of materials" – Cengage learning   

4. L. Bertolini, Materiali da costruzione – Città Studi Ed. Vol. 1 e 2

5. G.Bianchi, F. Mazza, Corrosione e protezione dei metalli – Collana tecnica AIM

6. 5. Class notes

During the teaching period, the learning assessment of second-year students will be carried out through three mid-term tests (two written and one oral).
The first test (November 17, 2025) will concern the mechanical properties of materials; the second test (December 9, 2024) will focus on topics related to metals, polymers, and composites. The third test (January 7–8, 2025), in oral form, will involve the discussion of topics related to corrosion and binders. Passing the first test will allow students to take the second, and so on. The final examination (oral), to be passed within one calendar year from the date of the first test passed, will cover only the topics not included in the mid-term tests.

During the academic year, seven regular examination sessions are scheduled, along with four additional sessions reserved for students beyond the standard course duration.

Within the periods allowed by the academic calendar, it is also possible to arrange additional examination meetings (on a weekly basis) by contacting the lecturer via e-mail or telephone.

The final oral examination will cover the entire syllabus for students who have not passed any mid-term tests, or only the parts not acquired through the mid-term tests. When contacting the lecturer to arrange the date of the examination meeting, students may also express their preference to divide the final exam into several oral sessions and agree on their contents. In any case, the final examination must be completed within one calendar year from the first oral session.

Exam registration procedure: Reservation through the university online portal. The date of the oral examination(s) (which does not coincide with the official examination sessions) is agreed with the lecturer via e-mail.

The examination consists of the oral presentation of topics covered during the course.

Evaluation criteria:

• Level of knowledge of the required topics (DD1–DD5)

• Ability to apply knowledge to simple case studies (DD2)

• Ability to interconnect different topics of the syllabus (DD3)

• Expressive ability and appropriate use of language (DD4)

In compliance with the principles of equal opportunities and current legislation, interested students may request a personal meeting in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, according to the learning objectives and specific needs. Students may also contact the departmental CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion – Services for Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders) representative.

Packing of Atoms in Solids

Brittle Fracture and Toughness

The Physical Basis of Young's Modulus

Micromechanism of Brittle Fracture

Yield Strength, Tensile Strength, Hardness, and Ductility

Fatigue Fracture

Dislocations and Deformations in Crystals

Creep and Creep Fracture

Solid-Liquid Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Systems

Mechanical Properties of Polymeric Materials

Light Alloys

Structure, Synthesis, and Classification of Polymeric Materials

Diffusion and Invariant Transformations

Alloyed Steels

Carbon Steels

Mechanical Properties of Polymer Matrix Composites