General meeting for Berkeley ASAE
Structures meeting this week!
Overview
Structural configuration design decisions
- 4-part wing integration (as opposed to 5)
- Easy Access into fuse with cargo door
- Easier integration during manufacturing
- Access to payload
- Ease of transport
- Alignment not huge issue with square spars & trusses
- Fuselage shape
- Square with rounded corners
- Type of tail (Conventional or Boom)
- Depends on CG
- Rolling Resistance
- Physical test complete
Fuselage
Proposal: Change in fuselage shape from circle to rounded square
- Larger overall fuselage
- Easier integration with wing, landing gear, and cargo door
Stability and integration methods:
- Longerons extending from tail and fuselage
- Interlock with each other (every other longeron)
- Sliding lock mechanism
- Corner circled inserted into cutouts lock sliding tail / fuselage
Boom Tail / Conventional Tail
Boom Tail - A type of rod or tubing that comes out of the fuselage and goes all the way to the back of the plane
Advantages:
- Easy integration
- Easy manufacturing
- Strong
Disadvantages:
- Weight (too heavy)
- Deflection
Conventional tail
Advantages:
- Very Lightweight
- Very strong
Disadvantages:
- Difficult integration method
- Difficult to repair if broken
- Difficult to manufacture