| Unit name | Structures and Materials |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CADE20006 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Kawashita |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Engineering Science (or equivalent) |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
Aerospace structures are designed to sustain challenging operational loads, whilst simultaneously aiming to minimise weight and material usage. These objectives demand specialised structural concepts, as well as advanced materials and manufacturing processes. This unit advances the students’ knowledge of structural analysis of aircraft components; engineering beam theory and analytical modelling methods for light aircraft structures offer a fundamental understanding and insight into the behaviour of aerospace structures. An understanding of these concepts equips students with the ability to interpret the results obtained with higher-fidelity Finite Element Analysis. The unit also provides foundational knowledge of manufacturing methods for metallic and composite aircraft, and an appreciation of the effect of processing parameters on material properties. Furthermore, students are introduced to material sustainability and Life Cycle Analysis as a tool to assess environmental impact.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit builds on fundamental knowledge from first-year Engineering Science and offers a theoretical background to the structural sizing calculations used in the AVDASI 2 design-build-test activity. Moreover, the unit prepares students for more advanced computational analysis of structures in later years.
An overview of content
This unit extends the students’ existing knowledge of bending and torsion of slender beam-like structures to include more complex geometries and load cases. Beams of arbitrary cross-sectional geometry (solid or thin-walled, open or closed) are analysed under nonsymmetric loads, introducing key concepts such as shear flow distributions and shear centre. The unit also introduces students to analytical methods for bending and torsion of idealised thin-walled aircraft structures, making suitable simplifying assumptions. The concepts of 2D stress and strain are explored, including coordinate transformations, strain measurement, generalized Hooke’s law, and failure criteria. Students are also introduced to key manufacturing processes for metallic and composite aircraft structural components, including an understanding of the impact of processing parameters on the properties of common aerospace alloys. Students are also introduced to material sustainability and Life Cycle Analysis as a tool to assess environmental impact.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will have advanced their ability to analyse aircraft structures and interpret the results, and have gained an appreciation of aircraft manufacturing processes and of the effect of processing parameters on material properties.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities, which include lectures, drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative tasks will include example sheets.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
[100%] – invigilated exam (ILO 1 - 7) AHEP 1, 2, 7, 13
When assessment does not go to plan
A reassessment retains the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CADE20006).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
