Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4D4: Construction Engineering, 2021-22
Module Leader
Lecturer
Prof G Viggiani and Dr I Brilakis
Timing and Structure
Lent term - 14 lectures - Assessment: 100% coursework
Prerequisites
3D1, 3D2 and 4D16 useful
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- familiarise students with key design and construction aspects of those areas of construction engineering which are commonly encountered in many major civil engineering projects.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand key issues in front-end planning and construction of major civil engineering infrastructure.
- understand the basics of construction site development, earth removing methods and earth excavation techniques.
- understand the basics for rock excavation and blasting.
- understand the practical considerations for loading and hauling operations including productivity estimation, fleet economics and equipment selection.
- understand the design, construction and operational aspects of compacting, finishing and paving operations for road infrastructure.
- address stability and deformation problems relating to different types of deep excavation construction (e.g. diaphragm walls, top-down construction, bottom-up construction) in different ground conditions.
- understand the principal design and construction problems associated with bored tunnel projects.
- estimate ground movements caused by deep excavations and tunnelling and assess their effects on buildings and services.
- select appropriate protective and ground improvement measures for different underground construction problems.
- understand the principal considerations associated with ground water control during construction.
Content
Coursework
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Coursework 1: Earthworks Construction earthwork and equipment: estimation of excavation soil volumes from drawings, earthwork production, blast design, logistics planning for transporting soils to/from project sites, paving and economics. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report
anonymously marked |
[30/60]
|
|
Coursework 2: Underground Construction Underground construction (tunnelling), based on a real tunnelling project: tasks are to establish tunnel stability duting construction, assess the risk of damage to a building of considerable historical interest and design outline protective measures for the building. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
[30/60] |
Booklists
Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
UK-SPEC
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.
GT1
Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.
IA1
Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.
IA2
Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.
KU1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.
KU2
Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.
E1
Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.
P1
A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.
P3
Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).
US1
A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.
Last modified: 04/01/2022 18:23
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4D4: Construction Engineering, 2020-21
Module Leader
Lecturer
Prof G Viggiani and Dr I Brilakis
Timing and Structure
Lent term - 14 lectures - Assessment: 100% coursework
Prerequisites
3D1, 3D2 and 4D16 useful
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- familiarise students with key design and construction aspects of those areas of construction engineering which are commonly encountered in many major civil engineering projects.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand key issues in front-end planning and construction of major civil engineering infrastructure.
- understand the basics of construction site development, earth removing methods and earth excavation techniques.
- understand the basics for rock excavation and blasting.
- understand the practical considerations for loading and hauling operations including productivity estimation, fleet economics and equipment selection.
- understand the design, construction and operational aspects of compacting, finishing and paving operations for road infrastructure.
- address stability and deformation problems relating to different types of deep excavation construction (e.g. diaphragm walls, top-down construction, bottom-up construction) in different ground conditions.
- understand the principal design and construction problems associated with bored tunnel projects.
- estimate ground movements caused by deep excavations and tunnelling and assess their effects on buildings and services.
- select appropriate protective and ground improvement measures for different underground construction problems.
- understand the principal considerations associated with ground water control during construction.
- understand the conventional and advanced instrumentation techniques used for measuring ground movements and mechanical strain in practice including advantages and limitations.
Content
Coursework
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Coursework 1: Underground construction Underground construction (tunnelling), based on a real tunnelling project: tasks are to establish tunnel stability duting construction, assess the risk of damage to a building of considerable historical interest and design outline protective measures for the building. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
[30/60] |
|
Coursework 2: Earthworks Construction earthwork and equipment: estimation of excavation soil volumes from drawings, earthwork production, blast design, logistics planning for transporting soils to/from project sites, paving and economics. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
[30/60] |
Booklists
Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
UK-SPEC
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.
GT1
Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.
IA1
Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.
IA2
Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.
KU1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.
KU2
Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.
E1
Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.
P1
A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.
P3
Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).
US1
A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.
Last modified: 01/09/2020 10:32
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4D4: Construction Engineering, 2019-20
Module Leader
Lecturer
Prof G Viggiani and Dr I Brilakis
Timing and Structure
Lent term - 14 lectures - Assessment: 100% coursework
Prerequisites
3D1, 3D2 and 4D16 useful
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- familiarise students with key design and construction aspects of those areas of construction engineering which are commonly encountered in many major civil engineering projects.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand key issues in front-end planning and construction of major civil engineering infrastructure.
- understand the basics of construction site development, earth removing methods and earth excavation techniques.
- understand the basics for rock excavation and blasting.
- understand the practical considerations for loading and hauling operations including productivity estimation, fleet economics and equipment selection.
- understand the design, construction and operational aspects of compacting, finishing and paving operations for road infrastructure.
- address stability and deformation problems relating to different types of deep excavation construction (e.g. diaphragm walls, top-down construction, bottom-up construction) in different ground conditions.
- understand the principal design and construction problems associated with bored tunnel projects.
- estimate ground movements caused by deep excavations and tunnelling and assess their effects on buildings and services.
- select appropriate protective and ground improvement measures for different underground construction problems.
- understand the principal considerations associated with ground water control during construction.
- understand the conventional and advanced instrumentation techniques used for measuring ground movements and mechanical strain in practice including advantages and limitations.
Content
Coursework
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Coursework 1: Underground construction Underground construction (tunnelling), based on a real tunnelling project: tasks are to establish tunnel stability duting construction, assess the risk of damage to a building of considerable historical interest and design outline protective measures for the building. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
[30/60] |
|
Coursework 2: Earthworks Construction earthwork and equipment: estimation of excavation soil volumes from drawings, earthwork production, blast design, logistics planning for transporting soils to/from project sites, paving and economics. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
[30/60] |
Booklists
Please see the Booklist for Group D Courses for references for this module.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
UK-SPEC
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.
GT1
Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.
IA1
Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.
IA2
Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.
KU1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.
KU2
Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.
E1
Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.
P1
A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.
P3
Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).
US1
A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.
Last modified: 26/09/2019 17:23
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4D4: Construction Engineering, 2018-19
Module Leader
Lecturer
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 14 lectures. Assessment: 100% coursework
Prerequisites
3D1, 3D2 and 4D16 useful
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- familiarise students with key design and construction aspects of those areas of construction engineering which are commonly encountered in many major civil engineering projects.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand key issues in front-end planning and construction of major civil engineering infrastructure.
- understand the basics of construction site development, earth removing methods and earth excavation techniques.
- understand the basics for rock excavation and blasting.
- understand the practical considerations for loading and hauling operations including productivity estimation, fleet economics and equipment selection.
- understand the design, construction and operational aspects of compacting, finishing and paving operations for road infrastructure.
- address stability and deformation problems relating to different types of deep excavation construction (e.g. diaphragm walls, top-down construction, bottom-up construction) in different ground conditions.
- understand the principal design and construction problems associated with bored tunnel projects.
- estimate ground movements caused by deep excavations and tunnelling and assess their effects on buildings and services.
- select appropriate protective and ground improvement measures for different underground construction problems.
- understand the principal considerations associated with ground water control during construction.
- understand the conventional and advanced instrumentation techniques used for measuring ground movements and mechanical strain in practice including advantages and limitations.
Content
Coursework
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Coursework 1: Underground construction Underground construction (tunnelling), based on a real tunnelling project: tasks are to assess the risk of damage to a building of considerable historical interest and design outline protective measures for the building. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Tue 22 Feb [30/60] |
|
Coursework 2: Earthworks Construction earthwork and equipment: estimation of excavation soil volumes from drawings, earthwork production, blast design, logistics planning for transporting soils to/from project sites, paving and economics. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Tue 15 Mar [30/60] |
Booklists
Please see the Booklist for Group D Courses for references for this module.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
UK-SPEC
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.
GT1
Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.
IA1
Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.
IA2
Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.
KU1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.
KU2
Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.
E1
Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.
P1
A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.
P3
Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).
US1
A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.
Last modified: 17/01/2019 20:37
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4D4: Construction Engineering, 2017-18
Module Leader
Lecturers
Dr I Brilakis, Prof CR Middleton and Prof G Viggiani
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 14 lectures. Assessment: 100% coursework
Prerequisites
3D1, 3D2 and 4D16 useful
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- familiarise students with key design and construction aspects of those areas of construction engineering which are commonly encountered in many major civil engineering projects.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand key issues in front-end planning and construction of major civil engineering infrastructure.
- understand the basics of construction site development, earth removing methods and earth excavation techniques.
- understand the basics for rock excavation and blasting.
- understand the practical considerations for loading and hauling operations including productivity estimation, fleet economics and equipment selection.
- understand the design, construction and operational aspects of compacting, finishing and paving operations for road infrastructure.
- address stability and deformation problems relating to different types of deep excavation construction (e.g. diaphragm walls, top-down construction, bottom-up construction) in different ground conditions.
- understand the principal design and construction problems associated with bored tunnel projects.
- estimate ground movements caused by deep excavations and tunnelling and assess their effects on buildings and services.
- select appropriate protective and ground improvement measures for different underground construction problems.
- understand the principal considerations associated with ground water control during construction.
- understand the conventional and advanced instrumentation techniques used for measuring ground movements and mechanical strain in practice including advantages and limitations.
Content
Coursework
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Coursework 1: Earthworks Construction earthwork and equipment: estimation of excavation soil volumes from drawings, earthwork production, blast design, logistics planning for transporting soils to/from project sites, paving and economics. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Tue 20 Feb [25/60] |
|
Coursework 2: Underground construction Underground construction (tunnelling), based on a real tunnelling project: tasks are to assess the risk of damage to a building of considerable historical interest and design outline protective measures for the building. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Tue 13 Mar [25/60] |
|
Coursework 3: Instrumentation Design of ground instrumentation and monitoring schemes for a deep shaft. Learning objective:
|
Individual Report
anonymously marked
|
Fri 20 Apr [10/60] |
Booklists
Please see the Booklist for Group D Courses for references for this module.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
UK-SPEC
This syllabus contributes to the following areas of the UK-SPEC standard:
Toggle display of UK-SPEC areas.
GT1
Develop transferable skills that will be of value in a wide range of situations. These are exemplified by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Higher Level Key Skills and include problem solving, communication, and working with others, as well as the effective use of general IT facilities and information retrieval skills. They also include planning self-learning and improving performance, as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.
IA1
Apply appropriate quantitative science and engineering tools to the analysis of problems.
IA2
Demonstrate creative and innovative ability in the synthesis of solutions and in formulating designs.
KU1
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, theories and principles of their engineering discipline, and its underpinning science and mathematics.
KU2
Have an appreciation of the wider multidisciplinary engineering context and its underlying principles.
E1
Ability to use fundamental knowledge to investigate new and emerging technologies.
P1
A thorough understanding of current practice and its limitations and some appreciation of likely new developments.
P3
Understanding of contexts in which engineering knowledge can be applied (e.g. operations and management, technology, development, etc).
US1
A comprehensive understanding of the scientific principles of own specialisation and related disciplines.
Last modified: 08/09/2017 14:33
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4C15: MEMS: Design, 2022-23
Leader
Lecturers
Prof AA Seshia
Lab Leader
Prof AA Seshia
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework. Assessment: 75% exam/25% coursework.
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- introduce the principles of MEMS design and their application to a variety of microsystems.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- extend the principles of microfabrication to the development of micromechanical devices and the design of microsystems
- understand the principles of energy transduction, sensing and actuation on a microscopic scale.
- appreciate the effects of scaling, and the similarities and differences between micromechanical assemblies and macroscopic machines.
- analyse and model the behaviour of microelectromechanical devices and systems.
Content
MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) technology enables the integration of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, fluidic, magnetic and optical components on a microscopic scale together with elements allowing for the interconversion of energy between these different domains using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques. MEMS technology has been widely perceived as a breakthrough in the creation of microsystems for applications ranging from smart sensors, biomedical devices, displays and imagers, telecommunications, computer peripherals and the automotive and aerospace sectors. MEMS devices operate on scales that are much smaller than is conventional: minimum feature sizes for micromachining processes often measure 10's of nanometers, forces generated by microactuators range from piconewtons to millinewtons, and the displacement of microstructures can be measured to less than a picometer.
Introduction (1L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Overview of MEMS technology
- Scaling laws
- Principles of MEMS Design
Transducers in MEMS technology (2L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Energy-conserving transducers
- Transduction of deformation
Microfluidics (2L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Microscale fluid flow
- Damping
- Electrokinetic Flow
Microactuators and Microsensors (4L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Principles of Actuation
- Force and Pressure Sensors
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
- Resonators, oscillators and RF MEMS
Contact mechanics at the micro-scale (4L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Hertzian point contacts between elastic solids
- Surface energy and adhesion - JKR and DMT
- Condensation and meniscus effects
Coursework
The coursework will investigate the design and modeling of a MEMS electrostatic actuator subject to voltage control.
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Learning objectives:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Wed week 9 22 March [15/60] |
Booklists
Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
Last modified: 27/09/2022 11:41
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4C15: MEMS: Design, 2021-22
Leader
Lecturers
Prof AA Seshia
Lab Leader
Prof AA Seshia
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework. Assessment: 75% exam/25% coursework.
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- introduce the principles of MEMS design and their application to a variety of microsystems.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- extend the principles of microfabrication to the development of micromechanical devices and the design of microsystems
- understand the principles of energy transduction, sensing and actuation on a microscopic scale.
- appreciate the effects of scaling, and the similarities and differences between micromechanical assemblies and macroscopic machines.
- analyse and model the behaviour of microelectromechanical devices and systems.
Content
MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) technology enables the integration of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, fluidic, magnetic and optical components on a microscopic scale together with elements allowing for the interconversion of energy between these different domains using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques. MEMS technology has been widely perceived as a breakthrough in the creation of microsystems for applications ranging from smart sensors, biomedical devices, displays and imagers, telecommunications, computer peripherals and the automotive and aerospace sectors. MEMS devices operate on scales that are much smaller than is conventional: minimum feature sizes for micromachining processes often measure 10's of nanometers, forces generated by microactuators range from piconewtons to millinewtons, and the displacement of microstructures can be measured to less than a picometer.
Introduction (1L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Overview of MEMS technology
- Scaling laws
- Principles of MEMS Design
Transducers in MEMS technology (2L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Energy-conserving transducers
- Transduction of deformation
Microfluidics (2L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Microscale fluid flow
- Damping
- Electrokinetic Flow
Microactuators and Microsensors (4L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Principles of Actuation
- Force and Pressure Sensors
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
- Resonators, oscillators and RF MEMS
Contact mechanics at the micro-scale (4L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Hertzian point contacts between elastic solids
- Surface energy and adhesion - JKR and DMT
- Condensation and meniscus effects
Coursework
The coursework will investigate the design and modeling of a MEMS electrostatic actuator subject to voltage control.
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Learning objectives:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Wed week 9 [15/60] |
Booklists
Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
Last modified: 28/09/2021 07:25
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4C15: MEMS: Design, 2020-21
Leader
Lecturers
Prof A Seshia
Lab Leader
Prof A Seshia
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework. Assessment: 75% exam/25% coursework.
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- introduce the principles of MEMS design and their application to a variety of microsystems.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- extend the principles of microfabrication to the development of micromechanical devices and the design of microsystems
- understand the principles of energy transduction, sensing and actuation on a microscopic scale.
- appreciate the effects of scaling, and the similarities and differences between micromechanical assemblies and macroscopic machines.
- analyse and model the behaviour of microelectromechanical devices and systems.
Content
MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) technology enables the integration of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, fluidic, magnetic and optical components on a microscopic scale together with elements allowing for the interconversion of energy between these different domains using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques. MEMS technology has been widely perceived as a breakthrough in the creation of microsystems for applications ranging from smart sensors, biomedical devices, displays and imagers, telecommunications, computer peripherals and the automotive and aerospace sectors. MEMS devices operate on scales that are much smaller than is conventional: minimum feature sizes for micromachining processes often measure 10's of nanometers, forces generated by microactuators range from piconewtons to millinewtons, and the displacement of microstructures can be measured to less than a picometer.
Introduction (1L, Dr A Seshia)
- Overview of MEMS technology
- Scaling laws
- Principles of MEMS Design
Transducers in MEMS technology (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Energy-conserving transducers
- Transduction of deformation
Microfluidics (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Microscale fluid flow
- Damping
- Electrokinetic Flow
Microactuators and Microsensors (4L, Dr A Seshia)
- Principles of Actuation
- Force and Pressure Sensors
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
- Resonators, oscillators and RF MEMS
Contact mechanics at the micro-scale (4L, Prof AA Seshia)
- Hertzian point contacts between elastic solids
- Surface energy and adhesion - JKR and DMT
- Condensation and meniscus effects
Coursework
The coursework will investigate the design and modeling of a MEMS electrostatic actuator subject to voltage control.
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Learning objectives:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Wed week 9 [15/60] |
Booklists
Please refer to the Booklist for Part IIB Courses for references to this module, this can be found on the associated Moodle course.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
Last modified: 25/09/2020 15:03
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4C15: MEMS: Design, 2018-19
Leader
Lecturers
Prof A Seshia
Lab Leader
Prof A Seshia
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework. Assessment: 75% exam/25% coursework.
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- introduce the principles of MEMS design and their application to a variety of microsystems.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- extend the principles of microfabrication to the development of micromechanical devices and the design of microsystems
- understand the principles of energy transduction, sensing and actuation on a microscopic scale.
- appreciate the effects of scaling, and the similarities and differences between micromechanical assemblies and macroscopic machines.
- analyse and model the behaviour of microelectromechanical devices and systems.
Content
MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) technology enables the integration of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, fluidic, magnetic and optical components on a microscopic scale together with elements allowing for the interconversion of energy between these different domains using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques. MEMS technology has been widely perceived as a breakthrough in the creation of microsystems for applications ranging from smart sensors, biomedical devices, displays and imagers, telecommunications, computer peripherals and the automotive and aerospace sectors. MEMS devices operate on scales that are much smaller than is conventional: minimum feature sizes for micromachining processes often measure 10's of nanometers, forces generated by microactuators range from piconewtons to millinewtons, and the displacement of microstructures can be measured to less than a picometer.
Introduction (1L, Dr A Seshia)
- Overview of MEMS Technology
- Scaling Laws
- Objectives of MEMS Design
Transducers in MEMS technology (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Energy-conserving transducers
- Transduction of deformation
Microfluidics (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Microscale fluid flow
- Damping
- Electrokinetic Flow
Microactuators and Microsensors (4L, Dr A Seshia)
- Principles of Actuation
- Force and Pressure Sensors
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
- Resonators, oscillators and RF MEMS
Contact mechanics at the micro-scale (4L, Prof JA Williams)
- Hertzian point contacts between elastic solids
- Surface energy and adhesion - JKR and DMT
- Condensation and meniscus effects
Coursework
The coursework will investigate the design and modeling of a MEMS electrostatic actuator subject to voltage control.
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Learning objectives:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Wed week 9 [15/60] |
Booklists
Please see the Booklist for Group C Courses for references for this module.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
Last modified: 17/05/2018 14:02
Engineering Tripos Part IIB, 4C15: MEMS: Design, 2017-18
Leader
Lecturers
Prof A Seshia
Lab Leader
Prof A Seshia
Timing and Structure
Lent term. 12 lectures + 2 examples classes + coursework. Assessment: 75% exam/25% coursework.
Aims
The aims of the course are to:
- introduce the principles of MEMS design and their application to a variety of microsystems.
Objectives
As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:
- extend the principles of microfabrication to the development of micromechanical devices and the design of microsystems
- understand the principles of energy transduction, sensing and actuation on a microscopic scale.
- appreciate the effects of scaling, and the similarities and differences between micromechanical assemblies and macroscopic machines.
- analyse and model the behaviour of microelectromechanical devices and systems.
Content
MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) technology enables the integration of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, fluidic, magnetic and optical components on a microscopic scale together with elements allowing for the interconversion of energy between these different domains using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques. MEMS technology has been widely perceived as a breakthrough in the creation of microsystems for applications ranging from smart sensors, biomedical devices, displays and imagers, telecommunications, computer peripherals and the automotive and aerospace sectors. MEMS devices operate on scales that are much smaller than is conventional: minimum feature sizes for micromachining processes often measure 10's of nanometers, forces generated by microactuators range from piconewtons to millinewtons, and the displacement of microstructures can be measured to less than a picometer.
Introduction (1L, Dr A Seshia)
- Overview of MEMS Technology
- Scaling Laws
- Objectives of MEMS Design
Transducers in MEMS technology (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Energy-conserving transducers
- Transduction of deformation
Microfluidics (2L, Dr A Seshia)
- Microscale fluid flow
- Damping
- Electrokinetic Flow
Microactuators and Microsensors (4L, Dr A Seshia)
- Principles of Actuation
- Force and Pressure Sensors
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes
- Resonators, oscillators and RF MEMS
Contact mechanics at the micro-scale (4L, Prof JA Williams)
- Hertzian point contacts between elastic solids
- Surface energy and adhesion - JKR and DMT
- Condensation and meniscus effects
Coursework
The coursework will investigate the design and modeling of a MEMS electrostatic actuator subject to voltage control.
| Coursework | Format |
Due date & marks |
|---|---|---|
|
Learning objectives:
|
Individual Report anonymously marked |
Wed week 9 [15/60] |
Booklists
Please see the Booklist for Group C Courses for references for this module.
Examination Guidelines
Please refer to Form & conduct of the examinations.
Last modified: 05/10/2017 10:29
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