Introduction to Aircraft Structural Analysis (Elsevier Aerospace Engineering)

Preface

Duringmyexperienceofteachingaircraftstructures,Ihavefelttheneedforatextbookwrittenspecif-
icallyforstudentsofaeronauticalengineering.Althoughtherehavebeenanumberofexcellentbooks
writtenonthesubject,theyarenoweitheroutofdateortoospecializedincontenttofulfilltherequire-
ments of an undergraduate textbook. With that in mind, I wroteAircraft Structures for Engineering
Students,thetextonwhichthisoneisbased.Usersofthattexthavesuppliedmanyusefulcommentsto
thepublisher,includingcommentsthatabrieferversionofthebookmightbedesirable,particularlyfor
programsthatdonothavethetimetocoverallthematerialinthe“big”book.Thatfeedback,alongwith
asurveydonebythepublisher,resultedinthisbook,AnIntroductiontoAircraftStructuralAnalysis,
designedtomeettheneedsofmoretime-constrainedcourses.
MuchofthecontentofthisbookissimilartothatofAircraftStructuresforEngineeringStudents,but
thechapteron“VibrationofStructures”hasbeenremovedsincethisismostoftencoveredinaseparate
standalonecourse.ThetopicofAeroelasticityhasalsobeenremoved,leavingdetailedtreatmenttothe
graduate-levelcurriculum.Thesectionon“StructuralLoadingandDiscontinuities”remainsinthebig
bookbutnotthis“intro”one.Whilethesetopicshelpdevelopadeeperunderstandingofloadtransfer
andconstrainteffectsinaircraftstructures,theyareoftenoutsidethescopeofanundergraduatetext.
Thereaderinterestedinlearningmoreonthosetopicsshouldrefertothe“big”book.Intheinterestof
savingspace,theappendixon“DesignofaRearFuselage”isavailablefordownloadfromthebook’s
companionWebsite.Pleasevisitwww.elsevierdirect.comandsearchon“Megson”tofindtheWebsite
andthedownloadablecontent.
Supplementarymaterials,includingsolutionstoend-of-chapterproblems,areavailableforregistered
instructorswhoadoptthisbookasacoursetext.Pleasevisitwww.textbooks.elsevier.comforinformation
andtoregisterforaccesstotheseresources.
ThehelpofTomLacy,AssociateProfessorofMechanicalandAerospaceEngineeringatMissis-
sippiStateUniversity,isgratefullyacknowledgedinthedevelopmentofthisbook.

T.H.G.Megson

Supportingmaterialaccompanyingthisbook

Afullsetofworkedsolutionsforthisbookareavailableforteachingpurposes.

Please visitwww.textbooks.elsevier.comand follow the registration instructions to access this

material,whichisintendedforusebylecturersandtutors.

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