COURSE SYLLABUS

Aircraft Structure Statics (MAE 3315-001)

Fall Semester, 2016
TR 11:00-12:20 pm, NH109
Instructor(s): Wen S. Chan, Professor of Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Office Number: 300B, Woolf Hall
Office Telephone Number: 817-272-5638; fax: 817-272-2952
Email Address: chan@uta.edu
Office Hours: TR 4:00-5:00pm
Time and Place of Class Meetings: TR 11:00-12:20 pm, NH109
Description of Course Content: The course is intended to provide students with a clear and
thorough presentation of both the theory and applications of the fundamental principles of
mechanics of materials that used in aircraft structural design.
Chapter 1 Characteristics of Aircraft Structures and Materials
Basic structural elements; Structural loads;
Review shear moment diagram; Aircraft materials
Chapter 2 Introduction to Elasticity
Basic concepts of stress/strain; Principal stresses and their planes
Maximum shears and their planes; Stress transformation
Linear stress/strain relationship; Elastic strain energy
Plane stress/plane strain; Equation of equilibrium; Airy stress function
Chapter 3 Torsion
Torsion of uniform bars with circular cross-sections;
Torsion of uniform bars with rectangular cross-section;
Torsional rigidity
Transformation matrices; elastic constants transformation
Chapter 4 Bending and Flexural Shear
Bernoulli-Euler Beam equation
Bi-directional Bending
Transverse shear
Chapter 5 Flexural Shear Flow in Thin-Walled Sections
Open thin-walled sections
Shear center
Closed Thin-walled Sections
Multi-cell closed Sections
Chapter 6 Failure Criteria for Isotropic Materials
Strength failure criteria
Introduction to fracture mechanics
Fatigue analysis and crack growth
Chapter 7 Elastic Buckling

1wk
2wk

2wks

2wks

2wks

2wks

1wks

Eulers Buckling Equation;

Torsional-Flexural Buckling

Chapter 8 Introduction to Composites (tentative) (If time allowed)

mid-term & solution
final exam
Total:

1wk
1wk
16 wks

Key Assignments: There will be two key assignments given for the semester. Students
who fail the key assignments may not pass the course.
Student Learning Outcomes: Students are expected to familiar to both the theory and applications
of the fundamental principles of mechanics of materials that used in aircraft structural design.
Analytical tools for analyzing aircraft structures based upon knowledge of mathematics, physics
and engineering. Homework problems related to physical science and engineering problems
designed to use math tools will demonstrate students ability to judge the correctness or make
sense of their engineering calculations based upon the engineers intuition.
Requirements: Students should have completed course of Solid Mechanics (Undergraduate level).
Suggested Textbooks and Other Course Materials: Mechanics of Aircraft Structures, 2ed. (By

C.T. Sun), Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2006

Descriptions of major assignments and examinations: Homework assignments will be post in the
MAE course web. The due date for each homework will be written in the assignment. Late homework
will receive a 20% penalty per class. Special permission for late submission can be granted based
on case by case. No homework will be accepted after the solution is posted. One mid-term and the
final exam will be given.
Attendance:. Students are strongly recommended to attend each class.

Grading System
homework
First exam
2nd exam
final

Tentative Grading Scale

100 points
100 points
125 points
175 points

Total point
A
B
C
D
F

500
420 or above
350--420
300--350
250--299
249below

The cut-off scores for grades may be slightly lower but not higher.
Drop Policy: Students may drop the course through consultation with the course instructor and/or
his/her academic advisor (http://wweb.uta.edu/ses/fao).

Americans with Disabilities Act:

The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and
letter of all federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA). All instructors at UT Arlington are required by law to provide "reasonable
accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that
disability. Any student requiring an accommodation for this course must provide the
instructor with official documentation in the form of a letter certified by the staff in the
Office for Students with Disabilities, University Hall 102. Only those students who have
officially documented a need for an accommodation will have their request honored.
Information regarding diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining disability-based
academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability or by calling the Office
for Students with Disabilities at (817) 272-3364.
Academic Integrity:
At UT Arlington, academic dishonesty is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated
in any form, including (but not limited to) cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission
for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another
person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage
to a student or the attempt to commit such acts (UT System Regents Rule 50101, 2.2).
Suspected violations of academic integrity standards will be referred to the Office of
Student Conduct. Violators will be disciplined in accordance with University policy, which
may result in the students suspension or expulsion from the University.
Student Support Services:
UT Arlington provides a variety of resources and programs designed to help students
develop academic skills, deal with personal situations, and better understand concepts and
information related to their courses. Resources include tutoring, major-based learning
centers, developmental education, advising and mentoring, personal counseling, and
federally funded programs. For individualized referrals, students may contact the Maverick
Resource Hotline by calling 817-272-6107, sending a message to resources@uta.edu, or
visiting www.uta.edu/resources.
Electronic Communication:
UT Arlington has adopted MavMail as its official means to communicate with students
about important deadlines and events, as well as to transact university-related business
regarding financial aid, tuition, grades, graduation, etc. All students are assigned a MavMail
account and are responsible for checking the inbox regularly. There is no additional charge
to students for using this account, which remains active even after graduation. Information
about activating and using MavMail is available at
http://www.uta.edu/oit/cs/email/mavmail.php.
Student Feedback Survey
At the end of each term, students enrolled in will be asked to complete an online Student
Feedback Survey (SFS) about the course and how it was taught. Instructions on how to
access the SFS system will be sent directly to students through MavMail approximately 10
days before the end of the term. UT Arlingtons effort to solicit, gather, tabulate, and

publish student feedback data is required by state law; student participation in the SFS
program is voluntary.
Final Review Week:
A period of five class days prior to the first day of final examinations in the long sessions
shall be designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow students
sufficient time to prepare for final examinations. During this week, there shall be no
scheduled activities such as required field trips or performances; and no instructor shall
assign any themes, research problems or exercises of similar scope that have a completion
date during or following this week unless specified in the class syllabus. During Final
Review Week, an instructor shall not give any examinations constituting 10% or more of
the final grade, except makeup tests and laboratory examinations. In addition, no instructor
shall give any portion of the final examination during Final Review Week. During this
week, classes are held as scheduled. In addition, instructors are not required to limit content
to topics that have been previously covered; they may introduce new concepts as
appropriate.

American with Disabilities Act

The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and
letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112 - The
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,
there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by
all citizens.
As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide reasonable accommodation to
students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student
responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty at the beginning of the semester
and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative
channels. If you require an accommodation based on disability, I would like to meet with
you in the privacy of my office during the first week of the semester to make sure that you
are properly accommodated.
Academic Dishonesty
It is the philosophy of the University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a
completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All
persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University
regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the
University.
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the
submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or part to
another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair
advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts. (Regents Rules and
Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22)