KB7006 - Composite Materials and Lightweight Structures - Northumbria University

Coursework - Design and optimization of lightweight structure

Learning outcome 1: Critically appraise key features of aerospace and automotive lightweight structures and to use the ideas developed in the analysis of composites towards designing aerospace and automotive lightweight structures.

Learning outcome 2: Optimised methods in topological and material selection for lightweight structures.

Learning outcome 3: Demonstrate increase awareness of the environmental impact of engineering products and how lightweight structures have improved engineering performance with less environmental impact.

Assignment

Statement of the work that students are expected to undertake: Design and Optimization of an Aircraft Pylon

An aircraft pylon is a typical cantilever structure hanging the turbine engine and other payloads to the wing of aircraft.

In this assignment, students will apply the knowledge and skills they learn and develop to the design and optimization of an aircraft pylon. Students will select materials for the structure, and conduct both shape and topology optimizations of their designs. They will also explain the relationship between the technical aspects of their designed lightweight structure and the wider societal context, such as risk, ethics and environmental impacts as considered by an engineering practitioner.

Additional instructions to students

This assignment is an individual work. Students are expected to spend about 40 hours on the assignment. The key tasks are outlined below:
• Select materials by comparing composites with common engineering materials such as metals and alloys
• Set the design domain, i.e. rough shape of an aircraft pylon.
• Perform the shape and topology optimizations on the design
• Discuss the optimization results and appraise the key features/limitations/improvement of the optimized structures
• Discuss the ethics and environmental impacts of the optimized structures
• Write an assignment report (≤ 3000 words). The template of the report is given below: Cover Page
Table of Contents

Section 1. General introduction and problem statement Section 2. Material selection
Section 3. Design, optimization results and discussions Section 4. Ethical and environmental impacts

References
Note: for the referencing style, either Harvard or British Standard can be chosen.

Attachment:- Composite Materials and Lightweight Structures.rar