Pre-master's in Engineering

To introduce the students to the design process for mechanical systems and components.

• [Power transmission systems] Shafts – power transmitted, torque speed shaft size relations, whirling, bearing support and lateral damping, torsional natural frequencies and damping, design examples based on helicopter tail rotor transmissions, shaft couplings – types- simple and constant speed – limitations, Friction belt/chain transmission systems – flat belts, vee belts, chain transmission kinematics – applications in aircraft and helicopters, gears and geared systems – kinematic requirements for tooth form geometries, Sang’s theorem, cycloidal and involute tooth forms, and contact stresses, Helical gears and effects on contact ratios, special tooth forms – circular arc gears, spur bevel, spiral bevel, worm and hypoid gears, simplified methods for gear size estimation, types of gear train systems – Spur, helical, double helical, simple and compound, epicyclic and various inversions calculation of overall ratios, ‘star’ gearing, examples of applications, advantages/disadvantages, power losses and the effects of oil system heating in geared Systems.


• [Tribology] Elastohydrodynamic lubrication principles – liquids for lubrication, bearings and types – and applications - rolling element types ball, roller, taper roller, angular contact, the effect of preloading to control contact deflection, lubricated journal bearings, the Mitchell thrust bearing, application of the Navier Stokes equation to lubricated sleeve bearings – the Sommerfeld and Ocvirk solutions, the journal bearing as a mass spring system – ‘oil whip’- use a damping medium in shaft vibration problems, examples of the use of ESDU Data sheets in tribology in transmission systems.

• [Thermal power applications] Basic thermal laws, Application to the heating and cooling of systems and components in aircraft systems – cabin, and EW systems.

• Professor Pericles Pilidis

To provide an introductory understanding of the basic principles underpinning the operation of the gas turbine engine. This includes a familiarisation of engines for aircraft and industrial applications and major issues associated with both.

• [Theory] Basic thermodynamics, ideal gas turbine cycles, isentropic flow in a duct of varying cross-sectional area, compressor, combustor and turbine efficiencies, the real cycle.
• [Jet Engines] The thrust equation, specific fuel consumption, nozzle exit conditions, reheat, turbojets, turbofans and low specific thrust engines.
• [Industrial Gas Turbines] Simple cycle, cycles with reheat, intercooling and heat exchangers, combined cycle gas turbines.
• [Engine Selection] The specific fuel consumption. Specific thrust/power diagram, analysis for different bypass ratios.
• [Gas Turbines Design] Description of different gas turbine engine models and their fitness for the mission at hand.

To provide an introduction to the whole field of aeronautical engineering, to set the context of the industry to which students will belong.

• Civil aircraft types.
• Military aircraft types.
• Types of freighters and helicopters.
• Types of guided missiles.
• The design and production process.
• Structure principles.
• Propulsion systems.
• Mechanical systems.
• Flying controls.
• Avionics.
• Formulation of requirements.
• Derivation of specification.
• Interpretation of specification into project design.
• Analysis of design solution.

TEACHING METHOD
• The course will consist of lectures supported, where appropriate, by 35 mm slides, example items and visits to Hangar 2 and Duxford Imperial War Museum.

• Dr Amir Zare Shahneh

To provide non-specialists with a basic knowledge of fluid properties and characteristics and their interaction with exposed bodies, leading to a basic understanding of aerodynamic principles across a wide range of engineering fields.

[Fluid Properties and Basic Flow Equations] Definition and examples of a fluid, liquids and gases, pressure, density, temperature, gas laws, energy, momentum, thermodynamic properties, flow conservation equations, viscosity, Reynolds number, compressibility, Mach number. Hydrostatic equation, Bernoulli’s equation. Static, dynamic and total pressure. The Pitot-static tube.

[Aerodynamic Analysis]. Importance of the non-dimensional form versus dimensional data. Geometric terms relating to aerofoil and other immersed bodies (streamlined versus bluff). Characteristic Area, Speed, Density. Aerodynamic pressure distributions - dimensional and non-dimensional - leading to force and moments coefficients w.r.t Incidence. Reynolds number, Typical low speed aerofoil and bluff body characteristics - pressure distribution - the six components, emphasizing lift, drag and pitching moment.

[Viscosity and the Boundary Layer] Boundary layer concept and structure. Laminar and turbulent flow and transition. Growth of boundary layer on a flat plate. Shear stress and skin friction. Boundary layer thickness (displacement, momentum), Reynolds number dependence. Body profile dependencies. Effects on pressure distribution and Forces produced. Components of Drag.

[Aircraft] Axes, controls, force and moment components. Vortex Flow and Aerofoil Circulation. Vortex structure. Vorticity and circulation. Aerofoil starting vortex. Aerofoil circulation and lift. The link between viscosity, vorticity and circulation. Low speed 3D wings, span and aspect ratio effects, spanwise loading, vortex models. Drag components and characteristics. Wing stall and stall control - high lift devices - types and how they function - effects on lift, drag and pitching moment with incidence.

[Low Aspect Ratio wings]. Comparison with medium/high aspect ratio wings - example of uses and essential characteristics. Compressibility and Isentropic flow relationships, compressible form of Bernoulli’s equation. Effects on flow development and lifting surface characteristics. Transonic Flow Characteristics. Transonic flow regime. Drag divergence and Critical Mach number. Shock wave development on 2D aerofoil. Linearised similarity rules, leading to the basis of supercritical wing design. The Supersonic Flow and onwards.

[Modelling methods] Simple ‘everyday’ methods/approximations. Wind tunnel, 2nd Generation models, CFD Modelling.

[Helicopters] Comparison with Autogyro. Aerodynamic characteristics at zero and forward speed. Design features to manage rotational domain with forward speed. Governing equation for hover and forward movement. Examples of solutions - rotor types, tandem rotors, etc. Alternative solutions (tilting wing, jet/fan lift etc) and their efficacy.

[Ground Vehicles] Cars, lorries, etc. Significance of aerodynamic effects with speed, drag development and relative importance - example data. Cross wind - vortex loading effects.

[Industrial] Buildings, Bridges, Wind Turbines, Environmental Systems. Importance - example case history. Typical building/bridges’ loading data. Pipe and duct flow characteristics. Wind turbines - relationship to swept area and wind speed, available power, practical constraints.

[Miscellaneous] Gliders, hang gliders, parachutes, birds, Boats, ships, hovercraft etc. Open forum for Questions and Answers.

• Dr Hao Cui

To introduce students to the techniques of detail stressing as practiced in the aerospace industry and to develop a professional approach to the execution & presentation of airframe stress analysis.

Introduction: Function of the stress office. JAR’s and MOD requirements. Concepts of limit, proof and ultimate conditions. Material strength definitions. Equilibrium of plane components. Reserve Factor.

Bolted joints, principles of design and classification. Three dimensional equilibrium, loads within bracket systems. Combination of shear and tension on bolted attachments.

Strength prediction for riveted joints, application to cleats. Joints with offset load, elastic load distribution, effects of yielding.

Strength of lugs, bearing, tension and shear-out. Effects of pin bending. Lug combinations.

Review of beam theory. Construction of shear force and bending moment diagrams, determination of maxima and minima. Point and distributed loading.

Review of Engineer’s Theory for prediction of bending stress. Second moment of area, parallel axes theorem. Application to club foot fittings and stress pads.

Shear and torsion of thin-walled sections. Complementary shear stress. Derivation of shear flow. Strength of attachments in fabricated sections.

Stress resolution, principle stress, and maximum shear stress. Application to combined bending and shear stresses in beams, combined bending and torsion of shafts.

Buckling of struts, use of data sheets. Consideration of control push rods. Effects of eccentricity and lateral loading. Local instability of thin sheet, effective width.

• Dr David Ayre

To enable the students to understand the basic structure of engineering materials and how the structure determines the properties of the materials and the applications for which the material is selected.

To provide an understanding of the theories of fatigue and fracture mechanics, and show how those concepts are applied to the design and testing of aircraft structures.

[An Introduction to materials]: classification of materials; atomic structure and interatomic bonding; structure of crystalline solids; mechanical properties of materials; processing of metals, ceramics and polymers.

[Material Properties & Selection]: selection principles; classes of material properties; design limiting properties.

[Failure modes and deformation]: yield criteria.

[Fatigue analysis]: S-N curve approach; mean stress and notch effects; Miner’s cumulative damage rule.

[Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM)]: concepts of stress intensity factor, fracture toughness and fracture criteria, residual strength calculation; prediction of fatigue crack growth using the empirical laws.

• Dr Zeeshan Rana

To revise and enhance the students’ mathematical understanding, confidence and skills, as relevant in the fields of their proposed MSc courses and engineering in general

Mathematics I

The course will consist of lectures supported by weekly tutorials. Exercises with solutions are supplied to reinforce the lecture material.

The students will have met much of the material in this module as part of their undergraduate study. The module will therefore give them an opportunity to revise previous skills and then to expand their knowledge of the topics to a greater degree.

• [Matrices] Elementary matrix algebra, transpose and inverse, application to solution of systems of linear equations. Iterative methods of solution.
• [Revision of Differential and Integral Calculus]
• [Complex Numbers] Complex arithmetic, the Argand diagram and simple locus problems, De Moivre’s theorem, roots of complex numbers.
• [Standard Elementary Functions] Elementary Taylor and Maclaurin series, ideas of limits and convergence, curve sketching.
• [Polynomials and Polynomial Equations] Basic properties of polynomials, relationships between coefficients and roots, Newton-Raphson method for numerical solution of non-linear equations, polynomial interpolation, curve fitting (least squares method).
• [First Order Differential Equations] Separable, homogeneous, exact and linear types. Basic numerical methods of solution.




Mathematics II


Previous knowledge of the topics in this module is not expected.
• [Second Order Linear Differential Equations] with constant coefficients.
• [Laplace transforms] Transforms of elementary functions and derivatives, use in solving differential equations. Convolution theorem and its applications.
• [Further Matrices] Determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors and some applications.
• [Functions of Two or More Variables] partial derivatives, the chain rule, stationary values, double integrals - evaluation, change of variables, Jacobians.
• [Elementary Theory of Fourier Series].

Mathematics I: On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Have sound algebraic skills and be familiar with the standard elementary functions.
2. Appreciate the concepts of convergence and error and the importance of checking the validity of any approximations used in calculation. Be able to find and correctly use the series representations of functions.
3. Understand the concepts and applications of the differential and integral calculus and be able to use the various processes involved correctly and confidently.
4. Be used to recognising complex numbers in the various different forms; be able to manipulate them and understand something of their use in solving problems involving real variables.
5. Be able to solve certain first order differential equations and appreciate different methods for obtaining the solutions. Be aware of problems in which the mathematical modelling leads to a differential equation.
6. Appreciate the use of matrices to represent data and systems of linear simultaneous equations. Be able to use matrix algebra correctly and the various methods for solving these equations. Be starting to appreciate the concept of linear dependence and independence and its implications for the solutions of equations.

Mathematics II:On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Understand the concepts of differentiation and integration as applied to functions of several variables and situation which require these processes. Be able to estimate errors resulting from tolerancing, find stationary values of these functions and implement changes of variables.
2. Understand the concept of an eigenvector. Be able to use analytic techniques to find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix in simple cases and use them to solve certain problems.
3. Be familiar with elementary Laplace transforms as one case of an integral transform. Be able to solve certain second order differential equations and integral equations.
4. Understand the idea of expressing a periodic function as an infinite trigonometric series, in particular a Fourier series and know how to achieve this.

To give students an understanding of Computer Aided Design, how it is used in the design Process and to give students ‘hands on’ experience using a leading CAD/CAM/CAE system.

• Introduction to CAD.
• [What is CAD?]: Introduction to the main tools and techniques of CAD. Different types of CAD models and how they are created.
• [Advanced CAD tools]: Surface and solid modelling techniques and new developments in CAD. Maximising the value of CAD models by integrating with other CAE tools.
• [Integrated Product Development]: Introduction to some of the broader issues associated with successfully implementing CAD/CAM/CAE in industry.
• Introduction to CATIA ( lectures + workshop sessions)
• [CATIA Functionality]: Introduction to the CATIA user interface and CATIA essential concepts.
• [Hands on workshop sessions]: Practical sessions introducing CATIA and covering the following modelling areas: 2D and 3D wireframe modelling, surface and solid modelling, producing engineering drawings.

• Dr Irfan Madani

To give the student an understanding of the range of calculation and programming methods available, the ability to choose a suitable one for any particular problem (with an emphasis on engineering applications), to solve problems in two languages and of the importance of documenting programs.

Introduction / Selection of appropriate tools; Different range of solution methods for computational problems including for example; a calculator, Excel spreadsheets, Excel with VBA, MATLAB, 3rd generation languages (e.g. Fortran), object oriented languages, 4th generation languages. Choosing between solution methods for a particular problem. [1 lecture].

General programming principles; Formulating a problem into a logical structure suitable for solving programmatically; logic flow in programs; variables; the importance of loops; programming algorithms.

Structure and design of programs. [1 lecture, but also taught and reinforced throughout course by lecturing and appropriate examples].

Visual Basic and Visual Basic for Applications; Layout rules; simple program structure; variables; input/ouput; loops; conditionals; error checking and processing; dialog boxes; dialogs. VBA will mainly be taught linked to Excel for calculations. [Approximately 12 lecture contact hours and appropriate practical work (⅔ of main course)].

MATLAB; Introduction; MATLAB toolboxes; environment; layout rules; simple program structure; variables; input/output; interactive tools; computation; visualising data; analysing data. Particular reference will be made to the various intrinsic functions built into MATLAB to make calculations simpler. [Approximately 6 lecture contact hours and appropriate practical work (⅓ of main course)].

Documentation; User documentation; program documentation [To be taught in conjunction with VBA and MATLAB sections].

• Dr Ioannis Goulos

To provide an introduction to the whole field of aeronautical engineering, to set the context of the industry to which students will belong.

• [Universal Laws] Energy conservation, Momentum conservation, Mass Flow Continuity, Entropy.

• [Compressibility] Distinction between compressible and incompressible flows. Equation of state for gases. Speed of sound and definitions of Mach number and Reynold’s number.

• [Generalised Compressible Flows] Qualitative treatment of flows with area change, friction and heat or work transfer.

• [Specific One Dimensional Compressible Flow] The energy equation; adiabatic stagnation temperature. Stagnation and static pressure. Pressure ratio as a function of Mach number for isentropic flow. Critical pressure ratio and choking. Examples. Mass flow continuity and swallowing capacity, use of compressible flow tables and charts. Steady adiabatic flow in parallel ducts with friction, the Fanno line. Examples. Steady frictionless flow in parallel ducts with heat addition, the Rayleigh line. Examples.
• [Boundary Layers] Physical description of shear flows at surfaces. Boundary layer thicknesses, flow development for laminar and turbulent cases, transition. Flow development over flat plates and in ducts.

• Measurement of surface friction. Examples.

• [Specific One Dimensional Incompressible Flows] Special form of the Energy Equation, Bernoulli’s Equation and measurement of stagnation and static pressure. Measurement of velocity. Examples. Estimation of pressure loss due to friction in incompressible flows, the Moody diagram with effects of Reynold’s number and surface roughness.

• [Tutorial Exercises] All sections of the course will be illustrated with worked examples chosen to reflect the general technology interests of the student body as a whole. Additional tutorial exercises will be set for students to undertake on their own. These will not be assessed formally, but worked solutions will subsequently be supplied on request. The latter examples will be of specialist type to reflect the “intended” interests of the individual student or group of students.

• Dr Amir Zare Shahneh

The primary aim is to enhance student’s academic communication, writing, presentation, and project management skills.

• Communication: discussion skills, seminar skills, presentation skills, cross-cultural communication.
• Writing: planning; paragraph structure; introductions; organising ideas; definitions; exemplification and support; cause and effect; situation-problem-solution; implications; evaluation, conclusions and summaries; referencing, compiling bibliographies and avoiding plagiarism; essay versus report writing, describing charts and graphs, technical report skills including short technical report production.
• Research methods: review of research methods and writing scientific reports, critical reading, distinguishing between weak and strong evidence, distinguishing between fact and opinion, using the Internet as a research tool and evaluating academic credibility of information on the Internet.
• Project management: Explain the PRINCE2 project management methodology and examine its use in deferent project situations.