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Unit outline_

AERO8460: Aerospace Design 1

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

This unit aims to introduce students to the theory and practice of aircraft component design. In doing so it will emphasise all the considerations, trade-offs and decisions inherent in this process and thus enable students to gain an understanding of why aircraft structures are designed in the way they are with respect to aircraft operational, certification, manufacturing and cost considerations. At the end of this unit students will be able to understand the design process, especially as it applies to aircraft individual component design; Have a familiarity with some of the standard industry practices for component design; An increasing familiarity with typical aerospace analysis techniques along with the primary failure modes that need to be considered; An understanding of the importance of different failure modes for different components and how these relate to load-conditions; a farmilarity with the operating environment that must be considered when designing components; and understanding of some off the legal and ethical requirements of aircraft design engineers to give a basic understanding of the regulatory framework in which aircraft design is conducted.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
AERO9460
Assumed knowledge
? 

Mathematics, Physics and Solid Mechanics at the level of Bachelor of Engineering, Science or equivalent

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Zi Wang, zihao.wang@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Zi Wang, zihao.wang@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Shaka Chu, shaka.chu@sydney.edu.au
Yuchen Huang, yuchen.huang@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Small continuous assessment Logbook Weekly Check
Weekly check of logbook documentation during tutorials
10% Multiple weeks Week 4 to 13
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO6
Assignment Project 1 - Design of a light aircraft component
Individual design report
15% Week 04 Maximum 20 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Small test Online Quiz 1: Assignment 1 Material
5 short questions on Canvas
5% Week 05 60 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Project 2 - Redesign of a light aircraft undercarriage
Individual design report
15% Week 07 Maximum 20 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Small test Online Quiz 2: Assignment 2 Material
5 short questions on Canvas
5% Week 08 60 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Project 3 - Design of an engine mount
Individual design report
25% Week 10 Maximum 20 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Small test Online Quiz 3: Assignment 3 Material
5 short questions on Canvas
5% Week 11 60 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2 LO1 LO7
Assignment Project 4 - Design of an external structure
Individual design report
20% Week 13 Maximum 20 pages.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Assessment summary

Project 1 – 4: Major assignments where each student should independently work on a design project related to aerospace engineering. Each student should produce an individual design report which should be submitted and marked.

Online quizzes: Online quizzes comprise 5 short questions each on Canvas to examine learning progress.

Logbook: Each student should document his/her design process and/or hand calculations in projects 1-4. The logbook should be checked every week at the end of the tutorial session starting from week 3.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Project 1 - 4: any assessment submitted after the due time and date (or extended due time and date) will incur a late penalty of 5% of the total marks per 24 hour period, or part thereof, late (note that this is applied to the mark gained after the submitted work is marked). For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded. The marker may elect to but is not required to, provide feedback on such work. Online quizzes: quizzes submitted after the Closing Date will not be marked or assessed. Logbook: logbook not checked during the tutorial will not receive any marks for that week.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Independent study and working on assignments Independent study (70 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 01 Introduction to design methods and certification requirements Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO5
Week 02 Struts, bolts and lugs, FEA, and design reports Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Struts, rivets, cyclic and secondary loading Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 04 Off-design loads and material selection Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 05 Landing loads and undercarriage analysis Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Undercarriage analysis Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 07 Undercarriage analysis, gyroscopic loads, and engine mounts Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Engine mounts and truss design Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 09 Engine mounts and truss design Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 10 Truss design and welding Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 11 External structures Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 12 External structures Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 13 External structures and unit review Lecture and tutorial (5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Determine the limit and ultimate cases that are appropriate for the design of an aerospace industry component
  • LO2. Make an informed choice of materials appropriate to the design
  • LO3. Apply and interpret current certification rules for construction of aerospace components
  • LO4. Demonstrate skills in sorting through and interpreting large amounts of information and selecting items and methods appropriate to the specifications of a design
  • LO5. Apply standard aerospace design techniques to a simple analysis problem
  • LO6. Invent or construct solutions to design problems and prove the appropriateness of these solutions
  • LO7. Analyse the loads, load paths, stresses and reactions for complex 3-D frame structures

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Reviewed and updated assessment schedules after considering last year's unit of study survey results. Tweaked the assessment weighting to put more emphasis on design assignments.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.