Course Objective

The purpose of the course is to

teach the principles of solid and
structural mechanics that can be
used to design and analyze
aerospace structures, in particular
aircraft structures.

Airframe

Function of Aircraft Structures

General
The structures of most flight vehicles are thin walled structures
(shells)

Resists applied loads (Aerodynamic loads acting on the wing

structure)
Provides the aerodynamic shape
Protects the contents from the environment

Definitions
Primary structure:
A critical load-bearing structure on an aircraft. If
this structure is severely damaged, the aircraft
cannot fly.

Secondary structure:
Structural elements mainly to provide enhanced
aerodynamics. Fairings, for instance, are found
where the wing meets the body or at various
locations on the leading or trailing edge of the
wing.

Definitions
Monocoque structures:
Unstiffened shells. must be
relatively thick to resist bending,
compressive, and torsional loads.

Definitions
Semi-monocoque Structures:
Constructions with stiffening members that may
also be required to diffuse concentrated loads into
the cover.
More efficient type of construction that permits
much thinner covering shell.

SPATER

WING LAYOUT

Function of Aircraft Structures:

Part specific

Skin
Reacts the applied torsion and shear forces transmits
aerodynamic forces to the longitudinal and transverse
supporting members acts with the longitudinal members
in resisting the applied bending and axial loads acts with
the transverse members in reacting the hoop, or
circumferential, load when the structure is pressurized.

Function of Aircraft Structures:

Part specific
Ribs and Frames
1.
2.

Structural integration of the wing and fuselage

Keep the wing in its aerodynamic profile

Function of Aircraft Structures:

Part specific
Spar
1.

resist bending and axial loads

2.

form the wing box for stable torsion resistance

Function of Aircraft Structures:

Part specific

1.
2.

3.

Stiffener or Stringers
resist bending and axial loads along with the skin
divide the skin into small panels and thereby
increase its buckling and failing stresses
act with the skin in resisting axial loads caused by
pressurization.

Simplifications

1.

2.

3.
4.
5.
6.

The behavior of these structural elements is often idealized to

simplify the analysis of the
assembled component
Several longitudinal may be lumped into a
single
effective
longitudinal to shorten computations.
The webs (skin and spar webs) carry only
shearing stresses.
The longitudinal elements carry only axial
stress.
The transverse frames and ribs are rigid within
their own
planes, so that the cross section is
maintained unchanged
during loading.

SHEAR FLOW DISTRIBUTION

STRUCTURAL
IDEALISATION
1)The longitudinal stiffeners and spar flanges carry only axial
stresses
2)The web, skin and spars webs carry only shear stresses
3)The axial stress is constant over the cross section of each
longitudinal stiffener
4)The shearing stress is uniform through the thickness of the
webs
5)Transverse frames and ribs are rigid within their own planes
and have no rigidity normal to their plane.

The stiffeners are represented by circles called booms, which

have a concentrated mass in the plane of the skin.

The direct stresses are calculated at the centroid of these booms

and are assumed to have constant stress through their crosssection.

Shear stresses are assumed uniform through the thickness of the

skins and webs.

Crippling stress

Compressive buckling stress for equal

length angle section

Compressive buckling stress for simple

flange web Elements

The Needhams method

The Gerard method

Determination of g

Sheet effective width

SPATER