Aerospace Structural Design: Fall 2025 Course Pack (WMU Aerospace Structural Design Coursepack)

This book is a coursepack for Western Michigan University AE4630 Aerospace Structural Design. Those who are not students in this course are discouraged from acquiring this book.

The course deals with the design and analysis of aerospace structures. First, the flow of boundary dynamic and static loads through a typical structure are discussed. Then stresses and deformations of individual members and components are studied, culminating with monocoque and semi-monocoque load-carrying structures. Assumed and actual internal load distributions are explained and possible failure modes are presented. Various methods of analysis are studied thoroughly. However, the emphasis is not on techniques but on concepts and comprehension. Hence, careful attention is paid to the correct interpretation of results.