Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Course Outline, Winter 2014
AER 621: Aerospace Structural Design
Instructor:

Dr. Zouheir Fawaz, Office: ENG 163, Phone: (416) 979-5000 ext. 7417
Email: zfawaz@ryerson.ca
Office hours: Mondays 1 to 2 pm and Wednesdays 10 to 12 pm

Prerequisites:

AER 504, AER 507 and AER 520

Recommended Text:

Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students, 5th edition, T. Megson

You may acquire this book online from:
http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780080969053

Other Reference
Text:

Airframe Structural Design, M.C.Y. Niu

Aircraft Structures, David J. Peery
Analysis & Design of Flight Vehicle Structures, E. Bruhn
Aerospace Vehicle Design, Vol. I Aircraft Design, K.D. Wood
Airplane Design (Parts I-VIII), Jan Roskam
Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Daniel P. Raymer

Calendar Description:

http://www.ryerson.ca/calendar/2012-2013/pg3153.html: Aircraft structural integrity

concepts and stress analysis methods. Fail-safe vs. safe-life design. Component life
estimation. Load spectra, damage tolerance. Aerodynamic manoeuvre, gust,
pressurization and landing loads. V-n diagrams. Wing design: stress analysis. Strength
vs. stiffness. Torsional and bending divergence. Introduction to control reversal and
flutter. Fuselage analysis. Effect of cutouts. Buckling of columns, thin plates and
stiffened panels under a variety of loading conditions are examined. Lab work will entail
the design of aircraft primary structure.

Learning Objectives:

The main objective of this course is to learn how to optimally design major aircraft
structural parts, including wings, fuselage sections, tailplane sections and landing gears.
In order to accomplish the above, previously acquired knowledge will be complemented
with focused learning directly applicable to the special types of structures that make up
the entirety of an airframe. A holistic approach is adopted whereby the structural parts
are treated not so much as standalone components but within a global understanding of
the role they play in the overall structural integrity scheme of an airplane. Therefore,
coverage includes ample discussion of the types of loads an aircrafts structure sees on
the ground but mostly in flight and how these global loads translate into component
loads and ultimately lead to critical stresses that the structure must be designed to resist.
At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a global knowledge of the fundamentals of aircraft design. (1)
2. Apply appropriate background knowledge to analyze and formulate a solution to
aircraft structural design problems. (2)
3. Research, gather, and analyze information to address multi-facetted problems related
to aircraft structural design. (3)
4. Propose solutions to complex open-ended aircraft structural design problems with

attention to economic, health, safety, and environmental concerns. (4)

5. Work individually to collect data, analyze problems, make design decisions, and take
leadership of technical design tasks. (6)
6. Contribute effective technical subcomponents to a larger design document and make
convincing written presentations using a coherent, logical and professional style. (7)
7. Understand the engineers role in protection of the public interest. (8)
8. Be cognizant of the impact that structural design alternatives can have on human
health and safety, on the environment, and on economic wellbeing. (9)
9. Incorporate economics, including risk and uncertainty, to decision making. (11)
Note: Numbers in parentheses refer to the attributes required by the CEAB. For more information, see:
http://www.feas.ryerson.ca/quality_assurance/accreditation.pdf

Course Organization:

Course Evaluation1:

The course is one semester in length and consists of a 3-hour lecture component and a 1hour laboratory/tutorial component each week.

Design Project
Course Readiness Test
Midterm Test
Late term Test

40% 2
10% 3
20% 4
30% 5

1 In order to pass this course you must separately have a pass mark in the design project
component as well as the combined test average
2 You will have to complete a report on a major aircraft structural design task that will
be assigned early in the semester and will be due on Wednesday April 9.
3 This is a 50 minutes test to be administered on Wednesday January 15.
4 This is a 90 minutes test to be administered on Monday February 24.
5 This is a 110 minutes test to be administered on Monday April 7.
Course Content Summary:
1.

Introduction: Role of Major A/C Structural Components; Stress Analysis Overview.

2.

A/C Loads; Maneuver Loads, Gust Loads, V-N Diagrams, Landing Loads

3.

Structural Analysis: Stress and Stiffness Analysis Methods Applicable To A/C Structural Design; Stress
Analysis and Design of Thin Walled Monocoque and Semi Monocoque Structures: Bending, Torsion,
Combined Loads, Open Sections, Closed Sections, Shear Flow, Shear Centre, Buckling of Columns, Thin
Flat and Curved Plates, Structural Idealization

4.

Wing Structural Design: Spanwise and Chordwise Wing Loads; Various Wing Load Estimation Methods;
Wing Box Design; Straight and Tapered Wing Box; Aeroelastic Phenomena

5.

Fuselage Structural Design: Fuselage Loads and Stresses; Pressurization Stresses; Effects of Cutouts

6.

Advanced Topics: Design Against Fatigue; Fail Safe; Safe Life; Life Estimation; Damage Tolerance
Concepts.

Some Course Specific Notes:

1.

In the capstone design course that you will take in the final year of your program you will have ample
opportunity to work within the framework of a team to complete a major design assignment. In contrast,
the focus of AER621 is on your individual contributions. As such, all deliverables are expected to be the
product of your own efforts and not those of any other students or sources.

2.

The design task is an essential part of this course and failure to submit the corresponding report without a
valid reason will result in an F grade in the course. Furthermore, late submission of the report will lead to
a lateness penalty equivalent to 5 marks per day. Reports submitted more than four days late will not be
accepted which will again lead automatically to an F grade in the course

3.

You are asked to prepare your design report in a professional technical format that pays close attention to
written communication. Marking of those reports will be based on their technical content as well as the
quality of the communication skills conveyed through them.

4.

While not monitored systematically, regular attendance is an essential contributor to the successful
completion of this course. To encourage regular attendance, occasionally, unannounced quizzes carrying
bonus marks will be administered. Those will also provide a means of assessing how up to date students are
on their notes and knowledge of material being covered.

5.

To help students strengthen their understanding of concepts covered in class, some problems will
occasionally be assigned whose partial or complete solutions will normally be given during tutorial
sessions. While not constituting a formal component of the course evaluation, regular completion and
submission of the assignments during tutorial hours will have a direct positive impact on the final grade of
a student. More details on this and the previous notes will be shared during our first class meeting.

Other Important Notes:

1. The required design report must have the standard cover page which can be completed and printed from the
Department website at www.ryerson.ca/aerospace/undergraduate/ . The cover page must be signed by the
student(s) prior to submission of the report. Submissions without the cover pages will not be accepted.
2. Should a student miss a term test or equivalent, with appropriate documentation, a make-up will be scheduled as
soon as possible in the same semester.
3. Students are required to adhere to all relevant University policies including:
Undergraduate Grading, Promotion and Acad. Standing, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol46.pdf
Student Code of Academic Conduct, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdf
Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol61.pdf
Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol134.pdf
Examination Policy, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol135.pdf
Accom.of Student Relig., Abor. and Spir. Observance, http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol150.pdf
Est.of Stud. Email Accts for Official Univ. Commun., http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol157.pdf
4. Students are required to obtain and maintain a Ryerson Matrix e-mail account for timely communications between
the instructor and the students.
5. Should there be any changes in the course outline, test dates, marking or evaluation those will be discussed in class
prior to being implemented.

Date: __January 2,

Prepared by:

2014________

Z. Fawaz

Paul Walsh
January 6, 2014
Reviewed by: _________________________________ Date: _________________________
P. Walsh