Page 11 - Aircraft Stuctures for Engineering Student

x Preface

Overall, my intention has been to give some indication of the role and limitations of
each method of analysis.
Part 11, ‘Analysis of Aircraft Structures’, Chapters 7-1 1 , contains the analysis of the
thin-walled, cellular type of structure peculiar to aircraft. In addition, Chapter 7
includes a discussion of structural materials, the fabrication and function of structural
components and an introduction to structural idealization. Chapter 10 discusses the
limitations of the theory presented in Chapters 8 and 9 and investigates modifications
necessary to account for axial constraint effects. An introduction to computational
methods of structural analysis is presented in Chapter 11 which also includes some
elementary work on the relatively modern finite element method for continuum
structures.
Finally, Part 111, ‘Airworthiness and Aeroelasticity’, Chapters 12 and 13, are self
explanatory.
Worked examples are used extensively in the text to illustrate the theory while
numerous unworked problems with answers are listed at the end of each chapter;
S.I. units are used throughout.
I am indebted to the Universities of London (L.U.) and Leeds for permission to
include examples from their degree papers and also the Civil Engineering Department
of the University of Leeds for allowing me any facilities I required during the prepara-
tion of the manuscript. I am also extremely indebted to my wife, Margaret, who will-
ingly undertook the onerous task of typing the manuscript in addition to attending to
the demands of a home and our three sons, Andrew, Richard and Antony.

T.H.G. Megson