Analytical Structural Weight Estimation of Conceptual Launch Vehicle Fuselage
Components with the Georgia Tech Structural Tool for Rapid Estimation of Shell
Sizes (GT-STRESS)
Author(s)
Hutchinson, Virgil L., Jr.
Advisor(s)
Olds, John R.
Editor(s)
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Abstract
Many conceptual launch vehicles are designed by the integration of various disciplines, such as aerodynamics, propulsion, trajectory, weights, and aeroheating. In the determination of the total vehicle weight, a large percentage of the vehicle weight is composed of the structural weight of the vehicle subsystems, such as propellant tanks. The weight of each subsystem is derived from the material composition and structural configuration required to withstand the load conditions it experiences during the vehicle operation. Mass estimating relations (MERs) are often used to estimate the vehicle structural weight in relation to geometric parameters of the vehicle. MERs created from data available from existing vehicles are only valid for the load conditions experienced by those particular vehicles and they may not take into account the variation in load conditions due to a vehicle’s trajectory or weight. The vehicle structural weight can also be determined using multi-dimensional finite element (FE) models. Though this high-fidelity technique provides very accurate results, the creation, preparation, and analysis of complex FE models to predict structural weight can require a large amount of computational effort and can also be very time consuming.
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Date
2004-03-05
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Masters Project
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