The lightweight design philosophy and the application of strength of materials principles in lightweight design – Design principles. Analysis of thin-walled members with closed or open cross section – shear center – warping and distortion, torsion-bending problems of thin bodies. Analysis of thin-walled pressure vessels under internal / external pressure, bending disturbances due to geometrical discontinuities. Shear flow theory – analysis of beam shear in closed or open cross-section, multiple-web beams, flat or curved members. Simplified analysis of aeronautical structures (fuselage – wing under bending, torsion and shear, wing ribs). The principle of virtual work – The unit load method. Maxwell-Mohr method. Applications in aeronautical and lightweight structures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide the basic knowledge required in the structural analysis of typical Aircraft Structures, such that the stress state of basic aircraft components (wing, fuselage, tail, etc) may be calculated.The main learning outcomes expected are:

• Students know the role of the basic aircraft components;
• Students know how to calculate loading on these basic components of aircraft structures;
• Students are able to perform stress analysis of the primary components of an aircraft structure, using simple and more advanced analysis methodologies.

The course knowledge is exploited in other / next courses, such as ‘Analysis of Aircraft Structures II’ and ‘Finite Element for Structural Analysis’.

Το άρθρο Analysis of Aerospace Structures εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο MEAD.

The lectures involve

• The conventional types of aircraft propulsion systems
• A short presentation of the historical evolution of the Gas Turbines
• The generation of the Thrust equation as well as the Breguet equation
• A short presentation of the reciprocating engines and the basic propeller design and its performance
• The ideal cycles for the Ramjet, the Turbojet, the Turbofan and the Turboprop engines and the parametric analysis for the specific thrust and the specific fuel consumption
• (The influence of the loss coefficients on the performance of the Turbofan Design approach for the turbomachines (Euler equation, cascades, radial equilibrium)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

THE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOLLOWING A SUCCESFUL COMPLETION OF THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS WILL INVOLVE ::

• Knowledge: The students are introduced to the Thrust equation, the Rocket equation and the propulsive efficiency concepts, to be followed by a short discussion of the historical evolution of the aircraft propulsion technologies. Next the course discusses the reciprocating engines (thermodynamic cycle analysis and reciprocating mechanism kinematics and dynamics) and the propeller design and performance. This is followed by a presentation of the typical Gas Turbine concepts and their typical structure (Turbojets, Turbofans, Turboprops and Ramjets). Emphasis is given to the ideal thermodynamic cycles and the parameter optimization from a thrust generation aspect. The inner structure of the Gas Turbines is discussed by presenting the elementary theory of the main subsystems (turbomachine work transfer, cascades and radial equilibrium as well as nozzle and diffuser design)  Combustion chamber aspects are discussed with respect to thermochemistry analysis and unsteady flow phenomena complete the operational aspects of the engines.
• Skills: The students will develop skills associated with various aspects of an engine design (velocity triangle design of compressor and turbine design, blade cooling and structural aspects of the rotors).
• Capabilities: The above combination of knowledge and skills will be demonstrated by completing the requirements of a design project

Το άρθρο Propulsion Systems εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο MEAD.

Material selection for lightweight structures – Aeronautical materials – Aluminum – Aluminum alloys (effect of alloying elements on the mechanical behavior, intermetallic phases, hardening mechanisms of the microstructure, codification of aluminum alloys, technological and mechanical properties) – Technological processes and forming processes of the aeronautical aluminum alloys – Steels – Titanium alloys – Nickel alloys – Polymeric composite materials – Metallic composite materials – Fibers and fabrics – Forming processes of composite aeronautical materials – Ceramic materials.

Learning Outcomes

The students attending this course gain the basic knowledge concerning the material selection for potential use in Aeronautic structures, through the assessment of design criteria as well as the candidate material properties.

In this frame, metallic, polymers, plastics, composite materials as well as ceramic materials are analyzed on the basis of their structure, their properties and their manufacturing. Moreover, the basic problems that Aeronautical materials face, namely the Corrosion and the Fatigue, are well discussed and studied. Finally, the current research trends are presented.

Το άρθρο Aeronautical Materials εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο MEAD.