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ME30045: Aerospace structures 1

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Mechanical Engineering
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CW 25%, EX 75%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework Wing Design (CW 25%)
  • Examination (EX 75%)
Supplementary Assessment:
ME30045 Re-Assessment Examination (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Description: Aims:
To introduce appropriate techniques for the loading, stress analysis and failure prediction of aircraft structures.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* Determine critical gust and manoeuvre load cases for an aircraft.
* Construct shear force, bending moment and torque diagrams.
* Design aircraft structures by accounting for static strength, buckling and fatigue failure.

Skills:
Problem solving; numeracy; working independently; written communication.

Content:
Influence of speed, altitude, geometry, weight and stiffness on aircraft loads. Gust and manoeuvre envelope. Shear force, bending moment and torque diagrams. Shear flow and shear centre of open and close sections. Fracture strength and crack propagation, including safe-life and damage-tolerant design. Shear buckling and tension fields - analysis and design of ribs and spars. Compression buckling of stiffened panels - analysis and design of wing panels. Introduction to structural optimisation.

Programme availability:

ME30045 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFB26 : BEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEME-AKB26 : BEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UEME-AFM04 : MEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering (Year 3)
  • UEME-AKM04 : MEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 4)

ME30045 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFM16 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEME-AKM16 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEME-AFM38 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Year 4)
  • UEME-AKM38 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEME-AFM47 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical with Automotive Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEME-AKM47 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical with Automotive Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.