Introduction to Aircraft Structures/Review

• Analysis vs Design
• Determining whether the structure is safe or not
• Review of Statics of Rigid Bodies
• Ex. Principle of Transmissibility, Varignon’s Theorem, Solution of Trusses, etc.
• Review of Statics of Deformable Bodies
• Types of Stresses, Analysis of Beams
Structural Systems
• Definition
• Any deformable solid body w/c is capable of carrying loads & transmitting
these loads to other parts of the body
• Examples: Bars or bar elements, beams, plates or shells; axial rods or two-
force members; trusses; membranes; shear panels
Bar or Bar Element
• The element is defined in one dimension & modeled using two nodes
one at each ends & transmits axial force only.
Beams
• Supports axial & bending loads
Thin-plates
• A sheet material whose thickness is small compared w/ other
dimensions
• Capable of resisting bending loads & membrane forces
Thin-shells
• Defined as a shell with a thickness which is small compared to its
other dimensions and in which deformations are not large compared
to thickness
Plates & Shells
•  A primary difference between a shell structure and a plate structure
is that, in the unstressed state, the shell structure has curvature as
opposed to the plates structure which is flat
Axial Rods
• Axial rods (axial joints) are steering parts that form the connection
between the steering rack and tie rod end. They transmit axial forces
to the tie rod end and allow the wheels to turn.
Two-Force Members
• A body that has forces (and only forces, no moments) acting on it in
only two locations
Trusses or truss structures
• Structures constructed entirely out of axial rods
Membranes

• Plates made to carry only in-plane axial loads

Shear Panels
• Structures capable of carrying only in-plane shearing loads
Loads Classification
• Surface loads
• Loads spread over the surface of a plate element or wall panel
• Dynamic or static pressures
• Concentrated & Distributed Loads
• Body loads
• A volumetric or field load
• Inertial, magnetic & gravitational forces
• Dynamic & Thermal Loads
Surface loads
Concentrated & Distributed Loads
Body loads
Dynamic Loads
Thermal Loads
Five Major Stresses in Aircraft Structures
• Tension
• Compression
• Torsion
• Shear
• Bending
Additional Stresses
• Tear-out or shear out
• Tangential stresses for pressure vessels
• Longitudinal stresses for pressure vessels
• Bearing stress
Tear-out or shear-out & Bearing