Prasanth Nair Lecture Course
Introduction to the theory of linear elasticity: stress, strain and material constitutive laws. Variational principles and their application: stationary potential energy, stationary complementary potential energy, Reissner's Principles. The finite element technique: problem formulation; element properties; applications to displacement, vibrations and buckling problems. Introduction to structural optimal design.
Reference: Shames & Dym, "Energy and Finite Element Methods in Structural Mechanics" .
C.A. Steeves Lecture Course
This course will provide instruction in three areas crucial to aerospace structural design: thin walled structures, fibre composite materials, and finite element methods. All three will be taught in a manner such that their interrelation is made clear. The course will being with general theories of shells and thin walled structures, which are essential to aircraft design. Composite mechanics and fabrication will be addressed in the context of thin walled structures. Finally, finite element methods of use in modelling thin walled structures and composites will be described. No specific background in any of these three topics is required, but a good knowledge of solid and structural mechanics will be assumed.