Module introduces Aeronautical Engineering and Advanced Engineering Materials students to the metallic materials and processing technologies used in aircraft structures.

The chronological development of materials for aircraft structural applications. Quantitative materials selection to determine materials performance indices for selected aircraft components - illustrated by selecting optimised material for fuselage, wing and undercarriage. Properties and processing of metallic monolithic and composite materials. Review and advanced examination of the concepts of stiffness, strength, fracture toughness, stress corrosion, general corrosion, fatigue and damage tolerance. Demonstration of how these properties affect ab initio structural performance and in service degradation. Physical metallurgy and structure property relationships of aluminium alloys, titanium alloys, magnesium alloys, alloy steels metal matrix composites. Corrosion characteristics. Development of new advanced metallic materials and processes to counter the competition from polymer composites.

1. From an ab initio perspective and using specific aerospace examples, explain why density is most important engineering material property when selecting materials for aerospace applications. 2. Synthesise an argument justifying the use of a material for a specific aircraft structure (for example wing, fuselage, undercarriage) giving the significance and relative importance of material properties, availability, structural efficiency, and cost. 3. Evaluate and convince a sceptical engineer the case for the continued use of aerospace metallic structures in the face of the competition from composite materials. 4. Using a thermodynamic approach explain why heat treatable aluminium alloys can be strengthened using precipitation hardening. 5. Establish the circumstances where advanced aluminium alloys, titanium alloys, steels, magnesium alloys and metal matrix composites may be used in aircraft structures. 6. Critique new advanced manufacturing technologies like superplastic forming, diffusion bonding, friction stir welding, premium quality casting, near net shape forming, low residual stress/ machining and distortion control. Summarise the circumstance when these new processes could be applied to aerospace structural applications.

1. Co-operate with other members of small groups during laboratory assignments. 2. Resolve and discuss the societal issues surrounding the efficient use of resources during manufacturing of metallic components and structures for the minimisation of aircraft fuel consumption and cost of ownership. 3. Appreciate the importance of safety when exploiting materials with improved mechanical properties and the requirement for thorough testing and certification.

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Normal lectures and aligned laboratory exercises. Recent advances in metallurgy and materials processing will be continuously updated and introduced.