Aerospace Vehicle Design
Module aims
The design of aerospace vehicles is a complex, multidisciplinary endeavour. This module offers you an opportunity to integrate and apply your prior knowledge and analytical skills to the design of an aircraft of conventional architecture, starting from only a simple set of operational requirements, while introducing them to the multi-stage approach and methods typically employed by vehicle design teams.
Learning outcomes
On successfully completing this module, you should be able to:
1. appreciate the importance of the design process for the overall future success of a new aircraft project;
2. demonstrate an understanding of the key operational, legal, sustainability and environmental drivers and constraints in the evolution of a new aircraft configuration, starting from an initial set of operational requirements;
3. synthesize and apply their broad aeronautical knowledge to practical aircraft design problems through use of appropriate methodologies, tools and terminology;
4. better recognise the order of magnitude of various design parameters;
5. appreciate the relative importance of design choices, as determined by a problem's inherent level of uncertainty, as you progress thought the stages of a design project;
6. tackle complex, multidisciplinary design problems where there is significant uncertainty;
7. collaborate and communicate as a member of a small, multidisciplinary design team.
Module syllabus
Conceptual Design Stage:
The design process and available tools; Design Target Specification; Airworthiness Requirements and Standards; Baseline Configuration Development; Initial Sizing Process; Powerplant Selection & Integration; Systems Selection, Layout & Packaging; Fuselage Design; Flying Surface Design; High-Lift Device Selection and Design; Flight Control Surface Design; Undercarriage Layout and Design; Aerodynamic Analysis; Introduction to Structural Layout, Loads and Aeroelastics; Weight and Balance Estimations; Stability and Control, Handling Qualities; Performance Estimation; Cost Estimation.
Preliminary & Detail Design Stages:
Introduction to Airframe Design; Preliminary Design of Wing Boxes; Use of flight envelope to demonstrate interaction between design, aerodynamics and stress; Preliminary Design of Wing Structures from UAS to commercial jets; Preliminary Design of Fuselage Structures under pressure. U/C loads etc.; Cut-outs design; Design of fatigue prone components, such as root fittings, spar boom splices, windows etc.; Practical fail safe and safe life design.; Finite Element analysis with the CREO CAD package; ESDU data sheets relating to structural strength, stability and fatigue.
Teaching methods
The module utilizes a project-based, student-centred learning approach, whereby you will carry out the project in a small group (5 members). While you will primarily learn through the conduct of the project itself, extensive support material is available in the form of pre-recorded online lectures, a wide variety of reference texts, weekly drop-in tutorials with the tutors and an online discussion forum.
Assessments
All assessments in this module are summative. For the conceptual design part of the aircraft design project, you will report on your initial sizing of the aircraft by compiling and presenting a poster. The remainder of the conceptual design work is reported through a group report.
Your work on the preliminary design of the aircraft's airframe and the detailed design of a structural component is reported through a group report on the structural component's performance during mechanical testing.
Individual student's contributions and conduct throughout the project are assessed through peer and self-assessment.
Due to the collaborative nature of group work, reassessment for this module must occur in session in the following academic year.
| Assessment type
|
Assessment description
|
Weighting
|
Pass mark
|
| Practical
|
Initial Sizing Poster presentation
|
15%
|
40%
|
| Coursework
|
Conceptual Design Report
|
35%
|
40%
|
| Cousework
|
Preliminary Load Analysis
|
5%
|
40%
|
| Coursework
|
Preliminary & Detail Design Report
|
35%
|
40%
|
| Practical
|
Structural Testing Performance
|
10%
|
40%
|
You will be offered oral feedback on key early design decisions during the poster session. Each team will be further offered an opportunity to attend a design review, to receive feedback on their conceptual and preliminary designs, ahead of the final submissions. Feedback on the final designs will be further offered ahead of the next opportunity to utilise it, i.e. the Group Design Project. Further individual feedback is available from your peers, as well as on request during the weekly tutorial sessions, via this module’s online feedback forum, staff office hours and discussions with tutors.
Reading list
Conceptual Design
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Roskam, Jan,
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corp
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Roskam J
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
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Roskam, Jan
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
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Roskam, Jan
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
-
Roskam, Jan
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
-
Roskam, Jan
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
-
Roskam, Jan
Ottawa : Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
-
Roskam, Jan
Ottawa : Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
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Roskam, Jan
Roskam Aviation and Engineering Corporation
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K眉chemann, Dietrich
Pergamon Press
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Daniel P. Raymer
7th edition,
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Raymer, Daniel P ; Raymer, Daniel P
6th ed., American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics
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Stinton, Darrol, 1927-
2nd ed., Oxford : Blackwell Science
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Torenbeek, Egbert,
Springer-Science+Business Media BV
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Torenbeek, Egbert.
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Hoerner, Sighard F.
3rd ed., Midland Park, N.J. : The Author
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Hoerner, Sighard F.
Brick Town, N.J : L. A. Hoerner
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Mattingly, Jack D.,
Third edition., AIAA American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc
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Currey, Norman S.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Preliminary Airframe Design
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Rivello, Robert Matthew.
New York ; Maidenhead : McGraw-Hill
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Niu, Michael Chun-Yung.
Hong Kong : Conmilit
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Niu, Michael Chun-Yung
2nd, Conmilit
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Niu, Michael Chun-Yung
2nd, Conmilit
-
Middleton, Don
Longman Scientific and Technical
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Megson, T. H. G.
Seventh edition., Butterworth-Heinemann
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Megson, T. H. G. (Thomas Henry Gordon), author.
Sixth edition., Amsterdam; London : Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier
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Curtis, Howard D.
Irwin Professional
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Budynas, Richard G.
McGraw-Hill
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Bruhn, E.F.
SR Jacobs and Associates
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Bruhn, E. F.
S. R. Jacobs
Module leaders
Dr Errikos Levis