Aerospace Structures and Materials, M.S. Aerospace Engineering

Faculty: Drs. Hsin-Piao Chen, Ortwin Ohtmer, Hsien-Yang Yeh

This emphasis focuses on the aircraft and spacecraft structures, aerospace materials, and design of various aerospace structural components. The program is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge in all relevant courses, along with today's modern computational technology employed to solve real problems. Topics include: analysis and design of composite materials, structural stability, structural design optimization, advanced aerospace structures, and computational mechanics.

Undergraduate Background

The following courses constitute the foundations of undergraduate aerospace (AE) and mechanical engineering (ME) education. Students who have not taken these courses, or their equivalents, such as students with undergraduate degrees other than AE and ME (e.g., other engineering majors, computer science, physics and mathematics) will be required to take them as prerequisites.

Programming and Numerical Analysis

MAE 205, Computer Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

MAE 305, Numerical Methods in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

General Engineering Courses

CE 205, Analytical Mechanics I (Statics)

MAE 330, Engineering Thermodynamics I

MAE 333, Engineering Fluid Dynamics

MAE 371, Analytical Mechanics II - Dynamics

MAE 373, Mechanics of Deformable Bodies

Requirements (Effective 2007/2008 Catalog Year)

Completion of a minimum of 30 (for PLAN I) or 36 units (for PLAN II) beyond the bachelor's degree in graduate courses approved by the Department's Graduate Studies Commitee, including:

1. A minimum of four (4) courses in the area of Aerospace Structures and Materials.
2. A minimum of two (2) advanced engineering mathematics courses beyond basic calculus, basic differential equations, and linear algebra.
3. A minimum of two (2) technical elective courses for PLAN I, or a minimum of four (4) technical elective courses for PLAN II, selected from approved upper division or graduate courses.
4. Completion of a thesis (6 units of MAE 698) for PLAN I or completion of a directed research project (6 units of MAE 697) for PLAN II.

Program Units

Requirements	Plan I	Plan II
Math	6 units	6 units
Core	12 units	12 units
Electives	6 units	12 units
Thesis or Directed Research	6 units Thesis	6 units Directed Research
Total	30	36

Math: Each course is 3 units.

MAE 501 - Engineering Analysis I

MAE 502 - Engineering Analysis II

Core Courses: All are 3 units. Only one core course is offered each semester.

MAE 522/422 - Composite Materials

MAE 565 - Advanced Aerospace Structures

MAE 567 - Advanced Mechanics of Deformable Bodies

MAE 568 - Creep and Fatigue

MAE 572 - Structural Design Optimization

Electives: Graduate courses selected in your technical area of interest to complement the core courses, such as:

MAE 529 - Structural Analysis of Composite Laminates

MAE 563 - Linear Finite Element Analysis

MAE 576 - Engineering Vibrations I

MAE 642 - Aeroelasticity

MAE 669 - Design of Composite Structures

MAE 672 - Stress Analysis in Design

MAE 673 - Theory of Elasticity and Plasticity

Thesis: MAE 698

Directed Research: MAE 697

Research Subjects

• Analysis and Design of Composite Materials.
• Finite Element Methods Applied to Aerospace Structures.
• Structural Design and Optimization.
• Aeroelasticity.
• Failure of Composite Materials.
• Manufacturing and Testing of Composites.