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Unit Summary
Unit aim
Introduces students to the properties of wood, how these properties are measured and the uses of wood in the human environment. This unit also examines how wood properties can be influenced by forest management practices.
Unit content
Topic 1: Introduction to materials science
Topic 2: Tree physiology, wood chemistry and anatomy
Topic 3: Energy and fuels
Topic 4: Wood properties and wood products
Topic 5: Managing wood quality
Topic 6: Wood density
Topic 7: Hygro-mechanical properties
Topic 8: Mechanical properties
Topic 9: Degradation
Topic 10: Wood modification
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | |
|---|---|
| 1 | describe the characteristics and application of the main types of materials: masonry, metal, plastics and biomaterials |
| 2 | characterise the variable nature of biomaterials compared to other material types |
| 3 | evaluate the primary structure and properties of selected biomaterials, the techniques used to measure them and the applications of biomaterials in the human environment |
| 4 | analyse the variety of processes used to convert biomass to energy and fuels. |
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- describe the characteristics and application of the main types of materials: masonry, metal, plastics and biomaterials
- characterise the variable nature of biomaterials compared to other material types
- evaluate the primary structure and properties of selected biomaterials, the techniques used to measure them and the applications of biomaterials in the human environment
- analyse the variety of processes used to convert biomass to energy and fuels.
Prescribed texts
- No prescribed texts.