SE 142 Design of Composite Structures
Description of Course
SE 142 focuses on the design and analysis of lightweight structures composed of laminated composite materials. Students gain experience in manufacturing composite structures and learning subjects such as fiber and matrix behavior, micromechanics (stiffness, strength), lamina behavior, hygro/thermal behavior, and structural response of beams and plates.
Hands-On Lab Experiences
The laboratory sessions for SE 142 give students the experience within the following composite fabrication methods:
Wet Lay-Up panels
Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VaRTM) panels
Out-of-Autoclave Methods with Carbon Prepreg
Bladder Method and Sandwich Core Laminates
Term Project Design Experience
Students also take part in a team design challenge in the second half of the quarter. The project rotates over the years and may focus on a different fabrication method, or give students the opportunity to choose the method that fits best within the project criteria and limitations.
Recently, the project was to design, build, and test a composite bridge based upon the 2018 SAMPE student competition guidelines. The project is tested to failure and teams submit a final report and give a short presentation at the end of the quarter.