AEROSPCE 740 : Aerospace Structures and Mechanisms
Engineering
2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
• Typical airframes structural configurations and main loading actions acting on an aircraft.
• Gust loading and symmetric aircraft maneuvers, with particular reference to wing loads.
• Fatigue life issues in the context of the aerospace structural design.
• Static and dynamic elastic response of a simplified airframe.
• Origin and specifications of mechanical design requirements applicable to spacecraft structures and main issues related to the design of mechanisms.
• Preliminary structural design of some spacecraft/mechanism elements.
• Materials selection and structural parameters to meet basic requirements.
• Spacecraft structure testing.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the reasons for the current typical airframes structural configurations and main loading actions acting on an aircraft. (Capability 1.1 and 2.1)
- Derive from first principles the mathematical laws which govern the loads produced by gusts and symmetric aircraft maneuvers, with particular reference to wing loads. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
- Understand fatigue life issues and how they are addressed in the context of the aerospace structural design. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 8.1)
- Derive and apply some of the equations which govern the elastic response of an airframe, statically and dynamically (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
- Understand the origin and specifications of mechanical design requirements contained in launch vehicles user manuals and the main issues related to the design of mechanisms for spacecraft (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
- Analyse , in the context of preliminary structural design, some components of aricraft and spacecraft. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Select appropriately the materials and structural parameters to meet basic requirements (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Analyse data from experimental testing and compare them with theoretical predictions (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Test | 20% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 50% | Individual Examination |
| Assignment | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
| Test | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
| Assignment | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect about 30 hours of lectures (including some problem solving classes), about 60 hours of reading and thinking about the content and say a total of 60 hours of work on assignments final test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Lectures will be available as recordings. Any other learning activities that might be included in the course (e.g. seminars/tutorials/labs/studios) will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is required for the test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
All the slides shown during the lectures, including worked examples and extracts from previous exam papers and solutions, will be made available on canvas. This material (where the students are encouraged to add further comments to the documentation made available), supported by the explanations given during the lectures, is the main learning resource, and it is appropriate to support the course and prepare for the assessments and final exam.
However, students interested in deepening their knowledge of any of the topics discussed throughout the course, are welcome to consider the following books:
- Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students, T.H.G. Megson
- Airframe Structural Design: Practical Design Information and Data on Aircraft Structures by Mike Niu (Author)
- Spacecraft structures and mechanisms: from concept to launch by Thomas P. Sarafin; Wiley J. Larson
- Space Vehicle Mechanisms: Elements of Successful Design by Peter L. Conley (Editor)
- Spacecraft Structures by J. Jaap Wijker
- Spacecraft Systems Engineering by Peter Fortescue, Graham Swinerd, et a
Health & Safety
Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Students' feedback was quite positive, no need to introduce changes to the course
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.