Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

This unit will introduce the student to aircraft structural analysis. Concepts of load paths, equilibrium, forces/moments, stresses/strains, reaction forces and bending moments will be presented. Basic trusses and beam analysis will be used to analyse simple airframes. Students will trace the historical development of the airframe from truss-like structures to modern semi-monocoque construction and the importance of appropriate material selection. The concept of static structural equilibrium will be extended to consider 'dynamic equilibrium' through the introduction of mechanical vibrations. The last two weeks will introduce basic concepts of orbital mechanics/spaceflight followed by an introduction to rocket propulsion.

Objectives

1. To understand the evolution of the airframe to its present form and to identify all the structural components on a modern passenger or military aircraft.
2. To be able to appreciate the importance of appropriate material selection in the design and construction of aircraft structures.
3. To enable students to observe the structural response of representative aircraft structural components to applied loading and to undertake simple structural analysis to predict internal and reaction forces and/or displacements.
4. To understand the difference between statically determinate and indeterminate structures.
5. To understand the concept of structural stability.
6. To understand the principles of mechanical vibrations and the use of available solution techniques for calculating relevant parameters.
7. To understand the movement of satellites using Newtonian mechanics and to calculate basic orbit transfers.
8. To be able to outline the different propulsion systems available for space flight.

Assessment

Field Trip (10%), Structures laboratory (10%), Exam (80%)

Recommended reading:
Anderson, J., 'Introduction to Flight', 6th Edition, 2008, Mc Graw Hill, Singapore. [Chapter 10]
Barnard, R. H., Philpott, D. R., 'Aircraft Flight', 4th Edition, 2010, Prentice Hall, Essex, UK. [Chapter 14]
Gordon, J.E., 'Structures - or why things don't fall down', 1978, Penguin Books, London, UK
Lecture notes.

Chief examiner(s)

Prof M Thompson

Contact hours

5 contact hours per week, 7 non-contact hours per week.

Prerequisites

None

Co-requisites

ENG1091, MAE1041

Prohibitions

ENG1020, ENG1040