Prof. Aparna Singh
Courses
MM203 Mechanics of Materials
Spring Semester
This course introduces students to the fundamental design principles and concepts employed by civil, mechanical and aeronautical engineers to build more robust structures under different failure criteria and relies on extensive problem solving. The topics that are discussed include: static equilibrium, force resultants, free body diagrams, analysis of determinate structures (beams and trusses), stresses and strains and their tensor formulation, constitutive equations, failure criteria, beam bending, shear force and bending moment diagrams, moment of inertia and deflections in beams, torsion of shafts, beam buckling and advanced problem solving using linear superposition. Term papers to engage students in the formulation and resolution of open-ended real life problems e.g. RBC in malaria, cochlear implants, rails under stresses etc. are assigned.
MM725 Tribology of Materials
Fall Semester
This course introduces analytical solutions of contact stresses and deformations at surfaces and delves on various wear mechanisms: adhesive, abrasive, fatigue, impact, chemical and fretting wear. Macromechanical vs. micromechanical tribology processes are contrasted and ways of quantifying wear areanalyzed. Use of coatings as a way to reduce wear are discussed in detail with respect to deposition processes and coating structures, characterization of coatings and selection. Engineering design for wear, effect of microstructure and wear induced microstructural change areexplored in detail for metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Case studies are used to highlight critical design criteria for wear.
Research
Publications
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"Alginate composition effects on a neural stem cell-seeded scaffold", Purcell EK, Singh A, Kipke DR. Tissue Eng., Dec; 15(4): 541-50 (2009).
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"Fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth characteristics of nano-twinned copper", A.Singh, L.Tang, M. Dao, L. Lu and S. Suresh, Acta Materialia 59, 2011, 2437-2446.
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"Deformation, Structural Changes and Damage Evolution in Nano-twinned Copper under Repeated Frictional Contact Sliding", A.Singh, M.Dao, L.Lu and S.Suresh, Acta Materialia, 59 (2011), 7311-7324.
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"Repeated frictional sliding properties of copper containing nanoscale twins", A.Singh, N.R.Tao, M.Dao, S.Suresh, Scripta Materialia 66, (2012) 849-853.
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"Fracture toughness testing of nanocrystalline alumina and fused quartz using chevron-notched microbeams", M.G.Mueller, V.Pejchal, G.Zagar, A.Singh, M.Cantoni, A.Mortensen, Acta Materialia 86, 2015, 385-395.
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"On measuring fracture toughness under load control in the presence of slow crack growth", G.Zagar, A.Singh, V.Pejchal, M.Mueller, A.Mortensen, Journal of the European Ceramic Society 35, 2015, 3155-3166.
1. Super capacitor fabrication
2. Flexible organic solar cells
3. Development of high strength steels and fatigue studies
4. Mechanical properties of materials produced by high strain rate deformation
5. Development of advanced composites for wind turbine blades and fatigue studies
6. Development of polymer matrix composites for prosthetics