UNIT T19: AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Unit T19: Aircraft Structural Analysis

Unit code: M/503/9993

QCF level: 6
Credit value: 15

Aim

The aim of this unit is to develop learner ability to determine the operational
loads imposed on airframe structures and to assess the effects of those loads
on airframe life and airworthiness. It will develop their understanding of
structural fatigue, damage prediction and design against failure and their
ability to analyse aircraft structures.

Unit abstract

The continual improvements that have been made to the specific weight,
strength, toughness and sustainability of airframe structures have resulted
not only in improvements to materials technology but also in design engineers
having a better understanding of the loads imposed on aircraft structures and
structural components and the effects of these loads on aircraft operation. In
particular, the use of computer simulation modelling has led to a much deeper
understanding of the nature and effects of fatigue and hence to subsequent
design improvements which mitigate the damaging effects that may develop
as a result of fatigue loads.

This unit initially considers the structural aspects of airworthiness, in particular

the determination of inertia and manoeuvre loads imposed on the aircraft as
a result of flight operation. The safety factors associated with these loads are
summarised for each aircraft type within its flight and gust envelopes. Specific
attention is given to the important subject of fatigue loading, its effect on
airframe integrity, the design against these effects and the estimation of fatigue
crack growth damage and airframe fatigue life. The elementary theory of
bending, shear and torsion for open and closed, thin-walled beams is then
analysed as a prelude to the final part of the unit, where the analysis of
aircraft fuselage and wing structures subject to loads is covered.

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UNIT T19: AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit a learner will:

1 be able to determine airframe operational loads and their impact on
aircraft airworthiness
2 understand aircraft structural fatigue, damage prediction and design
against failure
3 be able to use beam theory to analyse thin walled structures
4 be able to analyse aircraft wing and fuselage structures.

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Unit content

1 Be able to determine airframe operational loads and their impact on

aircraft airworthiness

Airframe operational load determination: inertia loads (generated from take-off,

landing and ground taxying operations); manoeuvre loads (for level flight,
symmetric manoeuvres, diving flight and turning flight)
Airframe loading: flight envelope safety factors (limit load, proof load, ultimate
load, stall limits, significance of flight speed)
Airworthiness: specific airworthiness requirements and codes for aircraft
structural loads and load limits, as contained in, eg JAR21, JAR/CS 22, 23, 25,
27, 29; safety significance of aircraft gust envelope eg sharp edged gusts,
graded gusts, stall curve, diving speed, cruising speed

2 Understand aircraft structural fatigue, damage prediction and design

against failure

Fatigue: sources and nature, eg cyclic, corrosion, fretting, thermal and acoustic;
cyclic stresses, alternating, fluctuating, repeating; S-N curves, fatigue strength,
fatigue limit, endurance limit; fatigue behaviour in both metal alloy and
composite aircraft structures
Fatigue damage prediction: fatigue life prediction methods, eg structural fatigue
testing, empirical stress relationships (such as Goodman equation, Gerber
parabolic equation, Soderberg equation), Miner’s law of cumulative damage,
ground-air-ground and gust load cycles; use of Linear Elastic Fracture
Mechanics (LEFM) to predict fatigue crack behaviour, eg modes and cyclic
stress concentration factors, crack tip plasticity and stress intensity factors,
crack propagation rates and time to failure predictions
Airframe design against fatigue failure: methods, eg materials selection, use
of jointing compounds, surface finish, avoidance of sudden changes in cross-
section, use of doublers and butt straps; strategies, eg aircraft structural
categorisation for failure (primary, secondary, tertiary structures), structurally
significant items, failsafe design, damage tolerant design, safe life design

3 Be able to use beam theory to analyse thin walled structures

Bending of open and closed thin walled beams: analysis using bending theory
of stresses due to symmetrical and unsymmetrical bending, eg assumptions,
notation, direct stress distributions, position of neutral axis, deflections due
to direct bending, temperature effects, section properties, approximations for
thin-walled beams
Shear in thin-walled beams: analysis using bending theory of general shear
stress, strain and displacement relationships for, eg open section beams,
closed section beams, shear centre, twisting and warping

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UNIT T19: AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Torsion in beams: analysis using torsional bending theory of torsion in open and
closed section beams, eg Bredt-Batho shear flow, condition for zero warping and
finite warping in closed and open section beams

4 Be able to analyse aircraft wing and fuselage structures

Idealisation of airframe complex structural sections: idealisation, eg principles,

effects on bending shear and torsional analysis of open and closed section
beams
Wing spars and box beams: analysis of, eg tapered wing spar, open and closed
section tapered beams, box sections, beams with variable stringers
Fuselage: analysis of fuselage with circular cross-section in bending, shear and
torsion, effects of cut outs in fuselage
Wings: analysis of complete three-boom wing in bending, shear and torsion;
effects of cut outs in wing

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Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

Learning outcomes Assessment criteria for pass

On successful completion of The learner can:
this unit a learner will:
LO1 Be able to determine 1.1 Determine mathematically the inertia loads and
airframe operational loads manoeuvre loads that act on an airframe
and their impact on aircraft structure during aircraft operations
airworthiness
1.2 Determine the flight envelope load limits for
large jet aircraft
1.3 Critically assess the significance of flight
envelope load limits for the continuing
airworthiness of a large jet aircraft airframe
1.4 Assess the impact of ‘sharp-edged’ and ‘graded’
gust loads on airworthiness
LO2 Understand aircraft 2.1 Compare the differences in the sources, nature
structural fatigue, damage and behaviour of fatigue, between metal alloy
prediction and design and carbon composite airframe structures
against failure
2.2 Compare and contrast the cyclic strength values
for two different specimen materials, subject to
varying cyclic load regimes
2.3 Determine quantitative estimates for the fatigue
life of light alloy metallic airframe structures
subject to specified cyclic stress regimes
2.4 Determine quantitative estimates for crack
propagation rates and times to failure of aircraft
structural materials subject to specified cyclic
stress regimes
2.5 Develop an argument justifying and contrasting
the use of failsafe, safe life and damage tolerant
design strategies for the continued airworthiness
of a structurally significant item of airframe
structure
LO3 Be able to use beam 3.1 Analyse open and closed section thin-walled
theory to analyse thin walled beams subject to loads causing symmetric and
structures non-symmetric bending, determining the
required direct stress and deflection parameters
3.2 Analyse open and closed section thin-walled
beams, subject to external axial and off-axis
loading, determining required shear stress
parameters
3.3 Analyse open and closed section thin-walled
beams subject to constant torque loading,
determining required parameters

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UNIT T19: AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Learning outcomes Assessment criteria for pass

On successful completion of The learner can:
this unit a learner will:
LO4 Be able to analyse 4.1 Use idealisation theory to show how a complex
aircraft wing and fuselage airframe component is simplified to aid its
structures quantitative analysis
4.2 Analyse an open and closed wing box section
and tapered wing section subject to loads, and
determine the required bending, shear and
torsional parameters
4.3 Analyse an idealised multi-sectioned tapered
wing, subject to loads and determine the
required parameters
4.4 Analyse a circular fuselage section with cut outs
subject to loads, determining the required
bending, shear and torsional parameters

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Guidance

Links to National Occupational Standards, other BTEC units, other BTEC

qualifications and other relevant units and qualifications

The learning outcomes associated with this unit are closely linked with:

Level 5 Level 6
Unit 4: Mechanical Principles Unit T18: Aircraft Aerodynamics
Unit 35: Further Analytical Unit T20: Aircraft Conceptual
Methods for Engineers Design
Unit 89: Aircraft Structural
Integrity

The content of this unit has been designed and mapped against the Engineering
Council’s current learning outcomes for IEng accreditation. The completion of
the learning outcomes for this unit will contribute knowledge, understanding
and skills towards the evidence requirements for IEng registration.

See Annexe B for mapping of Edexcel BTEC Level 6 Diploma units to

IEng programmes.

Essential requirements

Learners will need access to some form of laboratory fatigue test machine,
equipped with at least two different types of material specimens, capable
of being subjected to differing cyclic loads. Access to aircraft specialist
airworthiness publications such as JAR/CS 21, 22 23, 25, 27 or their military
AP101 series equivalents, is also required to meet the unit outcomes. Finally,
sight of representative aircraft structures and/or structural components, similar
to those being analysed is considered highly desirable, if not essential, to aid
learning.

Delivery

The learning outcomes should be delivered in the order in which they are
presented using a variety of teaching techniques and facilities appropriate to
the unit content. Formal tutor input is likely to be through lectures, tutorials
and laboratory work. Structured visits to establishments where aircraft
structures and/or structural components are being manufactured or assembled
will prove particularly useful as a method of enhancing learning. The whole
programme should be designed to give learners sufficient time for self-study
and for the completion of their unit assignments.

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Assessment

The unit may best be assessed through a combination of summative

assignments and laboratory exercises, together with a final written assessment,
sufficient to meet external examiner requirements and centre quality standards.

Resources
Books

Baker A – Composite materials for Aircraft Structures, Second Edition

(AIAA, 2004) ISBN 978-1563475405

Janssen M, Zuidema J and Wanhill R – Fracture Mechanics,

Second Edition (Taylor and Francis, 2004) ISBN 978-0415346221

Megson T H G – Introduction to Aircraft Structural Analysis

(Butterworth-Heinemann, 2010) ISBN 978-1856179324

Megson T H G – Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students

(Butterworth-Heineman, 2012) ISBN 978-0750668170

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