Construction and Design of Modern Aircraft
1
Contemporary Methods of Aircraft Construction and Design
The construction of aircraft is a complicated process requiring precise calculation and innovative design in order to improve and maintain the structural integrity of the aircraft.
Aerospace engineers must find a balance between reliability, strength and weight of the many components used in the fabrication of the aircraft. The design of an aircraft must take into account the magnitude of forces, such as lift and drag, acting upon the craft at various speeds. A plane designed for sub-Mach 1 speeds must be designed completely different than one built for speeds above Mach 1 due to significant changes in force load and the creation of supersonic shockwaves. However the way an aircraft is constructed is just as important as its design in the overall aerodynamics and structural integrity of the craft.
Modern aircraft are constructed with thin sheets of a low weight, high strength composite material. The most common material used in the construction of aircraft is aluminum (SAGES
Module 2). Aluminum alloys are preferred due to their high strength, low weight and relatively low cost of fabrication. A low weight material is required to create an aircraft that cannot only lift itself, but more importantly the fuel it requires to operate and the cargo it must transport.
Aircraft fuselages are built in the form of shells that must withstand the compression and forces applied to them without buckling (SAGES Module 2). An inherent problem with using large, thin sheets of aluminum alloy in the construction of the fuselage is its weakness to collapsing under high compression in areas without support. This weakness is overcome by using longerons
2 and stringers to reinforce the sheets of alloy. Another major problem associated with the materials used on aircraft is metal fatigue. Metal fatigue causes cracks and warping of the metal as stress increases, and it is a general rule all metal
Contemporary Methods of Aircraft Construction and Design
The construction of aircraft is a complicated process requiring precise calculation and innovative design in order to improve and maintain the structural integrity of the aircraft.
Aerospace engineers must find a balance between reliability, strength and weight of the many components used in the fabrication of the aircraft. The design of an aircraft must take into account the magnitude of forces, such as lift and drag, acting upon the craft at various speeds. A plane designed for sub-Mach 1 speeds must be designed completely different than one built for speeds above Mach 1 due to significant changes in force load and the creation of supersonic shockwaves. However the way an aircraft is constructed is just as important as its design in the overall aerodynamics and structural integrity of the craft.
Modern aircraft are constructed with thin sheets of a low weight, high strength composite material. The most common material used in the construction of aircraft is aluminum (SAGES
Module 2). Aluminum alloys are preferred due to their high strength, low weight and relatively low cost of fabrication. A low weight material is required to create an aircraft that cannot only lift itself, but more importantly the fuel it requires to operate and the cargo it must transport.
Aircraft fuselages are built in the form of shells that must withstand the compression and forces applied to them without buckling (SAGES Module 2). An inherent problem with using large, thin sheets of aluminum alloy in the construction of the fuselage is its weakness to collapsing under high compression in areas without support. This weakness is overcome by using longerons
2 and stringers to reinforce the sheets of alloy. Another major problem associated with the materials used on aircraft is metal fatigue. Metal fatigue causes cracks and warping of the metal as stress increases, and it is a general rule all metal
Cited: Guocai, Wu, and Yang J.-M. "The Mechanical Behavior of GLARE Laminates for Aircraft Structures."JOURNAL OF THE MINERALS, METALS AND MATERIALS SOCIETY. (2005): 72-9. Web. 4 "Aircraft Structures." FAA Regulatory and Guidance Library. Federal Aviation Administration, n.d. Web. 3 Oct 2012. "Present Day Methods of Aircraft Construction." SAGES Module 2. Print. "What is Angle of Attack?." Boeing AERO Magazine. n.d. 13. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.