Course Descriptions
Department of Aerospace Engineering
K. T. Alfriend, A. A. Benzerga, R. Bhattacharya, R. D. W. Bowersox, J. G. Boyd, L. A. Carlson, S. Chakravorty, P. G. Cizmas, S. Girimaji, W. E. Haisler, J. E. Hurtado, D. C. Hyland, Y. Jin, J. L. Junkins, T. Kalmar-Nagy, A. N. Karpetis, V. K. Kinra, D. C. Lagoudas, R. Langari, D. Mortari, Z. Ounaies, M. S. Pilant, T. C. Pollock, J. N. Reddy, O. K. Redinoitis, H. L. Reed (Head), W. S. Saric, J. C. Slattery, T. W. Strganac, T. Strouboulis, R. R. Talreja, S. R. Vadali, J. L. Valasek, J. R. Walton, D. T. Ward, J. D. Whitcomb, E. B. White
The Department of Aerospace Engineering offers graduate work and research programs in aeronautical/aerospace engineering. Programs leading to the degrees of MEng, MS and PhD are available. The department also offers courses and faculty supervision for students pursuing the Doctor of Engineering degree. There are no foreign language requirements in any of these programs. Major areas of interest are aero/fluid dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, fluid-structure interaction (aeroelasticity), flight mechanics, astrodynamics, spacecraft/aircraft dynamics and control, computational mechanics, solid mechanics, micromechanics, nanomechanics, composite materials, bio-nano materials, aging aircraft and structures.
Wind tunnels support aerodynamic research in fundamental fluid flow problems, atmospheric boundary layer flow about buildings, vehicles and other common structures, and three-dimensional testing of complete airplane models. Several research aircraft are available for full-scale flight research. Investigations of materials and structural mechanics problems are undertaken in the Center for Mechanics of Composites. Research involving dynamics and control of autonomous intelligent vehicles, formation flying of spacecraft and other problems in astrodynamics is performed in the Center for Mechanics and Control. Solutions to complicated fluid and solid mechanics problems are efficiently obtained with University and supporting Departmental computational facilities. Research on nanomaterials, multifunctional material systems, multiscale modeling and integrated adaptive structures is coordinated by the Texas Institute for Intelligent Materials and Structures for Aerospace Vehicles (TiiMS). Research into satellite design, responsive space systems, and autonomous rendezvous and docking is conducted by the AggieSat Lab Student Satellite Program.
Courses relating to structural mechanics and materials listed at the end of this section are contained within the Dwight Look College of Engineering listing. The mechanics and materials courses are administered by the Department of Aerospace Engineering and are taught by faculty from the Departments of Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering.
Aerospace Engineering
(AERO)
601. Principles of Fluid Motion. (4-0). Credit 4.
Formulation of equations of motion for fluid flow; theoretical and numerical solution methods for potential (ideal) flow; application to thin and thick airfoil and wing aerodynamics; complex variable methods for potential flow. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
602. The Theory of Fluid Mechanics. (3-3). Credit 4.
Entry-level graduate course on the theory of fluid mechanics, with emphasis on viscous subsonic flows; concepts of boundary layer theory, flow stability, transition and turbulence; laboratory includes elements of measurement techniques, numerical methods and physical modeling. Prerequisite: MATH 601 or registration therein.
603. Continuum Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Development of field equations for analysis of continua (solids as well as fluids); conservation laws; kinematics, constitutive behavior of solids and fluids; applications to aerospace engineering problems involving solids and fluids. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Cross-listed with MEMA 602.
615. Numerical Methods for Internal Flow. (3-0). Credit 3.
Methods for solving internal flow problems; viscous and inviscid compressible flow, Euler/Navier Stokes solvers, boundary conditions. Prerequisite: MATH 601 or approval of instructor.
616. Damage and Failure in Composite Materials. (3-0). Credit 3.
Mechanisms and models related to damage and failure in composite materials subjected to mechanical loads. Prerequisite: Courses in composite materials, elasticity. Cross-listed with MEMA 616.
620. Unsteady Aerodynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Theoretical formulation of unsteady airfoil theory and techniques used for determining airloads on oscillating lift surfaces; exact solutions and various approximations presented and evaluated; application to problems of unsteady incompressible, subsonic and transonic flows about airfoils and wings. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
622. Spacecraft Dynamics and Control. (3-0). Credit 3.
Elements of analytical dynamics; modeling different types of spacecraft and control systems, sensors, and actuators; stability; control system design; effects of flexibility; attitude and orbital coupling; environmental effects. Prerequisite: AERO 422 or ECEN 420.
623. Optimal Spacecraft Attitude and Orbital Maneuvers. (3-0). Credit 3.
Application of optimization and optimal control techniques to spacecraft maneuver problems; computation of open loop and feedback controls for linear and nonlinear spacecraft dynamical systems; low-thrust and impulsive control, discretization methods, case studies. Prerequisite: AERO 423 or equivalent.
624. Celestial Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Analytical and numerical methods for computing spacecraft orbits under the influence of gravitational, aerodynamic, thrust and other forces; Keplerian two-body problem, perturbation methods, orbit determination, navigation and guidance for aerospace vehicles. Prerequisite: AERO 423 or equivalent.
625. Digital Control of Aerospace Systems. (3-0). Credit 3.
Analysis and design of discrete and sampled-data controllers unique to aircraft and spacecraft; modeling of aircraft and spacecraft, sources of uncertainties; requirements and specifications; direct digital design using MIMO optimal techniques; sample rate selection, multi-rate controllers; robustness. Prerequisite: AERO 422 or equivalent.
626. Estimation of Dynamic Systems (3-0). Credit 3.
Traditional concepts and recent advances in estimation related to modern dynamic systems found in aerospace disciplines; least squares estimation, state estimation, nonlinear filtering, aircraft position and velocity tracking, attitude determination of spacecraft vehicles, gyro bias estimation and calibration. Prerequisites: AERO 310 or equivalent; STAT 211 or equivalent.
627. Principles of Structural Dynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Examination of flexible structures through a review of single degree-of-freedom dynamical systems followed by an in-depth study of continuous and multiple degree-of-freedom systems; emphasis on discrete modeling of structures for vibration analysis and dynamic analysis, with minimal development of methods such as finite elements. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
628. Advanced Spacecraft Dynamics and Control. (3-0). Credit 3.
Review of fundamental principles; introduction to alternate and advanced methods of dynamics and control for aerospace systems; alternate methods for generating and analyzing equations of motion; techniques for complex multibody systems; variable speed control moment gyros; method of quadratic modes; focus on modeling techniques for aerospace systems. Prerequisite: AERO 622.
629. Experimental Aerodynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Review of fundamental principles in aerodynamics; basics of instrumentation, electronics, data-acquisition; experimental techniques in aerodynamics/fluid mechanics; pressure, skin friction, force and velocity measurement techniques in wind and water-tunnel testing; conventional and novel techniques in data-processing and systems modeling; smart systems in experimental aerodynamics. Prerequisite: AERO 601.
650. Spacecraft Attitude Determination. (3-0). Credit 3.
Spacecraft attitude determination systems; attitude and error parameterizations, attitude sensors, data processing and calibration; introduction to single- and three- axis attitude determination and to optimal attitude and error estimation: ECI motion and time definitions. Prerequisite: AERO 423 or equivalent.
660. Nonlinear Flight Dynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Nonlinear equations of motion for coupled aircraft motions; coupled aerodynamic phenomena; application of the direct method of Lyapunov to nonlinear aircraft motions; elastic airplane equations of motion. Prerequisite: AERO 421 or approval of instructor.
674. Hypersonic Flow. (3-0). Credit 3.
Theoretical formulation of hypersonic flow theory; techniques for hypersonic flowfield analysis; high temperature effects, including both equilibrium and nonequilibrium flows; classical and modern computational methods. Prerequisite: AERO 303 or equivalent.
677. Rarefied Gasdynamics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Analysis of phenomena occurring in low density flows emphasizing slip regime problems and solutions based on second-order solutions to the Boltzmann equation. Prerequisite: AERO 477 or approval of instructor.
681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1.
Selected research topics presented by the faculty, students and outside speakers. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
685. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 12 each semester.
Special topics not within scope of thesis research and not covered by other formal courses. Prerequisite: Graduate classification in aerospace engineering.
689. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.
Selected topics in an identified area of aerospace engineering. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
691. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester.
Technical research projects approved by department head.
The following courses are described in the section entitled Mechanics and Materials (MEMA) and are part of the curriculum in aerospace engineering.
601. Theory of Elasticity. (3-0). Credit 3.
602. Continuum Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
604. Mathematical Foundations of Continuum Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
605. Energy Methods. (3-0). Credit 3.
607. Flow and Fracture of Polymeric Solids. (3-0). Credit 3.
609. Materials Science. (3-0). Credit 3.
610. Applied Polymer Science. (3-0). Credit 3.
611. Fundamentals of Engineering Fracture Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
612. Wave Propagation in Isotropic and Anisotropic Solids. (3-0). Credit 3.
613. Principles of Composite Materials. (3-0). Credit 3.
614. Physical Phenomena in Materials. (3-0). Credit 3.
616. Damage and Failure in Composite Materials. (3-0). Credit 3.
625. Micromechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
626. Mechanics of Active Materials. (3-0). Credit 3.
633. Theory of Plates and Shells. (3-0). Credit 3.
635. Structural Analysis of Composites. (3-0). Credit 3.
641. Plasticity Theory. (3-0). Credit 3.
646. Introduction to the Finite Element Method. (3-0). Credit 3.
647. Theory of Finite Element Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3.
648. Nonlinear Finite Element Methods in Structural Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.
651. Viscoelasticity of Solids and Structures I. (3-0). Credit 3.
689. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.
The following courses are described in the section entitled Materials Science and Engineering (MSEN) and are part of the curriculum in aerospace engineering.
601. Fundamental Materials Science and Engineering. (4-0). Credit 4.