Preface

This book covers a variety of aspects of design, analysis, and manufacturing of aerospace structures and materials, which include design/failure criteria for aerospace structures, materials selection, manufacturing methods, engineering design and analysis of structural assemblies and components, concurrent engineering, and interdisciplinary design technology.

Challenges that current aerospace engineers are faced with are as follows. First, they must understand the new and existing materials and the level of engineering already applied in their creation. Second, they need to develop a working design by combining material behavior and structural function to meet all the design requirements. Third, an optimum design has to be conducted based on the original working design to address manufacturability and economical constraints. Finally, the durability and longevity of the final structure should be continually assessed.

This book equips aerospace engineers with the necessary knowledge and practical skills to tackle these challenges in an industrial or R&D environment. Readers of this book will acquire knowledge of a broad range of the entire process in the context of the design, manufacturing, and analysis of aerospace structures and components. The readers will also be exposed to advanced research and development in fields directly relevant to aerospace engineering, which will improve our capability to design the next generation of aerospace structures and materials.

Interesting topics that will be demonstrated through this book include: structural dynamics and impact simulation, acoustic and vibration testing and analysis, fatigue analysis and life optimization, reversing design methodology, non-destructive evaluation, remotely piloted helicopter, surface enhancement of aerospace alloys, manufacturing of metal matrix composites, aerospace applications of carbon nanotubes, carbon fiber reinforcements, variable stiffness composites, aircraft material selection, etc. Furthermore, besides aerospace engineering, the topics included in this book also impact a broad variety of engineering areas such as mechanical engineering, materials engineering and science, civil engineering, automotive engineering, computer engineering and science, etc.

The book is intended to serve as a reference for researchers, engineers, engineering faculty, as well as graduate students. Finally, the editor would like to extend cordial appreciation to all contributors for their great support and invaluable contributions.