AE462 Design of Aerospace Structures (2-2) 3

Course Description:
Airworthiness requirements. Minimum weight design of columns, beams and torsion members. Design for combined loading. Load factors, distribution of loads in an aircraft structure. Ultimate load analysis and design of wing box beams and idealized fuselage cross-sections. Aeroelastic and fatigue considerations in aircraft design. Structural requirements and concepts for manned and unmanned spacecraft. Design of such craft for very high temperature loading.

Prerequisite(s):
AE362 'Aerospace Structures' or consent of the department.

Textbook(s) and/or Other Required Material:
Textbook:
· M. C. Niu, "Airframe Structural Design ", Conmilit Press Ltd., .USA, 1988, ISBN 962-7128-04-X.

Reference books:
· E.F. Bruhn , "Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures", Tri-State Offset Company, USA, 1973.
· F.R. Shanley, "Weight-Strength Analysis of Aircraft Structures", Dover, USA, 1960, 2nd Edition.
· D.J. Peery and J.J. Azar, "Aircraft Structures", McGraw-Hill Book Company, USA, 1982, 2nd Edition, ISBN 0-07-049196-8.
· L. Spunt, "Optimum Structural Design", Prentice Hall, USA, 1971.
· H.L. Cox, "The Design of Structures of Least Weight", Pergamon Press, USA, 1965.
· C.C. Osgood, "Fatigue Design", Wiley-Interscience, USA, 1970.
· G. Gerard, "Minimum Weight Analysis of Compression Structures", New York University Press; distributed by Interscience, USA, 1956.

Course Objectives:
To teach students the design of structural members and to give them a flavor of the design of aerospace structures, to train students to function within teams and communicate effectively, and, occasionally, to encourage students to do research in order to fulfill several departmental objectives.

Syllabus:
· Introduction, types of loads on aircraft, limit and ultimate loads, load factors, V-n diagram (maneuver and gust envelopes) ; airworthiness and related authorities and regulations. 2 hours.
· Remarks on design, minimum weight design principles; design of columns (round tubular and of other cross-sections), design of beams of various cross sections, design of tubular torsion members; comparison of various cross-sections and materials. 5 hours.
· Ultimate strength and design of round tubes under combined loading (combined bending, compression, torsion, flexural shear). 4 hours.
· Internal load distribution in fuselages due to dead-weight and external loads. Fuselage shear-flow analysis. Buckling of fuselage skin panels under combined stresses. Ultimate bending strength and design of wing and fuselage cross-sections. 6 hours.
· Analysis and design of structural joints. 4 hours
· Fatigue considerations in design. 4 hours.
· Introduction to static aeroelasticity; considerations in design. 5 hours.
· Structural requirements on a space station, manned and unmanned spacecraft and launchers. Concepts that have been used for such structures and near-earth and inter-planetary spacecraft. Expandable structures. Structures and materials to withstand the high temperature loading in reentry. 8 hours.
· Presentation of project progress by individual students, project discussions; Introduction to the finite element method with the objective of orienting the students toward the use of an existing code if any project is assigned in a particular semester that requires the use of a FE code; introduction to composite materials if any composite project is assigned in a particular semester. 18 hours.

Class/Laboratory Schedule:
The course has two lecture hours, two project hours and no laboratory sessions. The duration of each lecture and project hour is 50 minutes. In the project hours, students discuss their project progress and present their findings or topics may be presente d by the instructor in a concise manner as required by the current design projects.

Homework, Quizzes and Projects:
1 Project

Computer Usage: Most design projects require computer usage.
Laboratory Work: Some projects require manufacturing in a mechanical shop. Students in the past have built metallic structures as well as GFRP structures such as a tooling for a composite unmanned aircraft and the wing, fuselage, and tail of that aircraft. Some projects on the other hand require specimen testing and component testing. Examples from the past are projects that involved testing of mechanical and adhesive joints, testing of tensile GFRP coupons, and testing of a wing.

Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component:
Mathematics and Basic Sciences: None
Engineering Design: None
Engineering Sciences: None
Humanities and Social Sciences: None
Departmental Content: 3 credits

Relationship of Course to Program Objectives:
The course intends to satisfy the second, four, five and sixth objectives of the Department of Aerospace Engineering.

Prepared By:
Mehmet A. AKGÜN
11-06-2001