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AERO5310: Foundations of Aerospace Structures (2014 - Semester 1)

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Unit: AERO5310: Foundations of Aerospace Structures (6 CP)
Mode: Normal-Day
On Offer: Yes
Level: Postgraduate
Faculty/School: School of Aerospace, Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering
Unit Coordinator/s: Professor Tong, Liyong
Session options: Semester 1
Versions for this Unit:
Site(s) for this Unit: http://www.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/cgi-bin/show_unit1?=AERO3360&
Campus: Camperdown/Darlington
Pre-Requisites: AMME5301.
Brief Handbook Description: This unit aims to develop a student's understanding of the theoretical basis of advanced aerospace structural analysis; and introduce students to the solution of real-world aircraft structural problems. This UoS will develop the following attributes: An understanding of the derivation of the fundamental equations of elasticity and their application in certain analytical problems; An understanding of plate theory and the ability to use this to obtain analytical solutions for plate bending and buckling problems; An understanding of energy-method solution techniques for structural problems; An understanding of the basic principals behind stressed-skin aircraft construction and the practical analysis of typical aircraft components, including the limitations of such techniques.

At the end of this unit students will have an understanding of: 2-D and 3-D elasticity: general equations and solution techniques; Energy methods in structural analysis, including the principles of virtual work and total potential and complimentary energies; Fundamental theory of plates, including in-plane and bending loads as well as buckling and shear instabilities; Solution techniques for plate problems including: Navier solutions for rectangular plates; Combined bending and in-plane loading problems; Energy methods for plate-bending; and Plate buckling for compression and shear loadings; Bending of beams with unsymmetrical cross-sections; Basic principals and theory of stressed-skin structural analysis; Determination of direct stresses and shear flows in arbitrary thin-walled beams under arbitrary loading conditions including: Unsymmetrical sections, Open and closed sections, Single and multi-cell closed sections, Tapered sections, Continuous and idealized sections; The analysis of common aircraft components including fuselages, wings, skin-panels, stringers, ribs, frames and cut-outs; The effects of end constraints and shear-lag on the solutions developed as well as an overall appreciation of the limitations of the solution methods presented.
Assumed Knowledge: Mathematics and Physics to a level of Bachelor of Science or equivalent. Linear Mathematics, Vector Calculus, Differential Equations and Fourier Series.
Lecturer/s: Professor Tong, Liyong
Timetable: AERO5310 Timetable
Time Commitment:
# Activity Name Hours per Week Sessions per Week Weeks per Semester
1 Lecture 3.00 2 13
2 Tutorial 2.00 1 13
T&L Activities: Tutorial: One 2 hr Tutorial per week

Attributes listed here represent the key course goals (see Course Map tab) designated for this unit. The list below describes how these attributes are developed through practice in the unit. See Learning Outcomes and Assessment tabs for details of how these attributes are assessed.

Attribute Development Method Attribute Developed
((a) have a body of knowledge in stress analysis of typical aerospace structures; (b) be able to apply the stress analysis method and theory to practice in familiar and unfamiliar cases; (c) be able to identify, access, organize and communicate knowledge pertinent to stress analysis in both written and oral English; and (d) have an appreciation of the requirements and characteristics of scholarship and research in aerospace structures; Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4)
Be able to (a) collect, correlate, display, analyse and report observations related to analysis of aerospace structures; (b) apply theoretical skills appropriate to aerospace structures via hand calculation to solve representative practical problems, including results analysis as well as documentation. Information Seeking (Level 4)
Be able to identify, access, organize and communicate knowledge pertinent to stress analysis of aerospace structures in written and oral English, and to engage in class discussion. Communication (Level 4)
Acknowledge their personal responsibility for their own value judgment and their ethical behaviour towards others in assignments. Professional Conduct (Level 4)

For explanation of attributes and levels see Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table.

Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. They are listed according to the course goal supported by each. See Assessment Tab for details how each outcome is assessed.

Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4)
1. An understanding of the derivation of the fundamental equations of elasticity and their application in certain analytical problems.
2. An understanding of plate theory and the ability to use this to obtain analytical solutions for plate bending and buckling problems.
3. An understanding of energy-method solution techniques for structural problems.
4. An understanding of the basic principals behind stressed-skin aircraft construction and the practical analysis of typical aircraft components, including the limitations of such techniques.
Assessment Methods:
# Name Group Weight Due Week Outcomes
1 Assignment No 25.00 Multiple Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4,
2 Quiz No 20.00 Multiple Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4,
3 Final Exam No 55.00 Exam Period 1, 2, 3, 4,
Assessment Description: Assignment: There will be five assignments, and each assignment carries equal marks. Due dates: weeks 3,6, 9, 11 and 13.

Final Exam: There will be a final formal exam of 2 hours duration at the end of the semester. Students are expected to achieve 40% of the examination mark to pass the course.

Quiz: There will be two quizzes to be held in lecture hours in week 6 and in week 11.
Grading:
Grade Type Description
Standards Based Assessment Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies . Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit coordinator.
Policies & Procedures: See the policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/student-policies/ for information regarding university policies and local provisions and procedures within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.
Prescribed Text/s: Note: Students are expected to have a personal copy of all books listed.
  • Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students
Recommended Reference/s: Note: References are provided for guidance purposes only. Students are advised to consult these books in the university library. Purchase is not required.
  • Engineering Mechanics of Composite Materials
  • Theory of Elasticity
  • Theory of Elastic Stability
  • Theory of Plates and Shells
Online Course Content: http://www.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/cgi-bin/show_unit1?=AERO3360&

Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Week Description
Week 1 Bending of beams with non-symmetrical cross sections.
Loads on Aircraft, function of structural components.
Week 2 Stress, strain and displacement relationships for open and closed single cell thin walled beams.
Bending of beams with non-symmetrical cross sections.
Week 3 Torsion of thin walled beam sections.
Structural idealization.
Stress, strain and displacement relationships for open and closed single cell thin walled beams.
Assessment Due: Assignment 1
Week 4 Multicell beams.
Structural idealization.
Week 5 Tapered beams.
Multicell beams.
Week 6 Shear panels, ribs and cut-outs.
Tapered beams.
Assessment Due: Assignment 2
Week 7 Structural constraints.
Shear panels, ribs and cut-outs.
Week 8 Elasticity
Week 9 2D problems
Assessment Due: Assignment 3
Week 10 2D problems in polar coordinates
Week 11 Bending of thin plates
Assessment Due: Assignment 4
Week 12 Plates with combined bending and in-plane loadings
Week 13 Energy methods for plate bending, composite structures
Assessment Due: Assignment 5
Exam Period Assessment Due: Final Exam

Course Relations

The following is a list of courses which have added this Unit to their structure.

Course Year(s) Offered
Master of Professional Engineering (Aerospace) 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Course Goals

This unit contributes to the achievement of the following course goals:

Attribute Practiced Assessed
Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4) Yes 100%
Information Seeking (Level 4) Yes 0%
Communication (Level 4) Yes 0%
Professional Conduct (Level 4) Yes 0%

These goals are selected from Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table which defines overall goals for courses where this unit is primarily offered. See Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table for details of the attributes and levels to be developed in the course as a whole. Percentage figures alongside each course goal provide a rough indication of their relative weighting in assessment for this unit. Note that not all goals are necessarily part of assessment. Some may be more about practice activity. See Learning outcomes for details of what is assessed in relation to each goal and Assessment for details of how the outcome is assessed. See Attributes for details of practice provided for each goal.