Launch Vehicle Coupled Loads Analysis: Theory and Approaches Online

AresIX_TransonicShock









Instructed by Dr. Paul A. Blelloch, Senior Vice President, Aerospace Analysis, ATA Engineering 

  • Taught exclusively to NASA employees, now available as a public course for the first time

  • All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course

OVERVIEW
Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA) is a complex analysis to compute design loads on launch vehicles and spacecraft. The results of CLA are often in the critical path to closing design margins. Therefore, appropriate and accurate CLA results are the basis of successful launch vehicle and spacecraft missions.

The details of any CLA are specific to the launch vehicle and how it flies. However, the building blocks and fundamentals are consistent across all vehicle analyses. This course reviews the key basics of structural dynamics, then uses those fundamentals to create the building blocks of CLA, finally using those building blocks in CLA. At the conclusion of the course, the student will have a foundation to understand and develop new CLA capabilities.

In addition to classic CLA material, much of the course is spent on model development and reduction. Good model reduction is as critical to accurate loads as understanding the theory of numerical integration.

CLA flight events covered are ground loads, liftoff, aerodynamic flight, maneuvering, engine ignitions and shutdowns, staging, and engine oscillations. These are also discussed from the perspective of day of launch assessments, preliminary loads, and interface environments.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  • Understanding modes and reduced order modeling as needed for CLA
  • Understanding how to build high-quality component models, including Craig-Bampton models, damping, and data recovery
  • Understanding the building block of CLA including numerical integration, time domain methods, and frequency domain methods
  • Understanding how to define and use preliminary loads
  • Understanding the theory and implementation of CLA for all key events: Ground, Liftoff, Ascent (see outline for details)
  • Incorporating systems engineering into CLA
  • Getting ready for the future of CLA
  • Detailed outline below

AUDIENCE: This course is essential for all early to mid-career engineers and graduate students seeking a deeper understanding of CLA. The course is useful for all senior CLA analysts who want awareness of some different techniques or a refresher on existing ones. The course may also be useful for those groups providing models for CLA, to create better models by understanding how the models are used.

COURSE INFORMATION
Type of Course: Instructor-Led Short Course
Course Level: Fundamentals
Course Length: 2 days
AIAA CEU's available: Yes

This course is also available on-demand. Register here.
Outline

Course Outline

  1. Fundamentals of Structural Dynamics
    • Modes and reduced order modeling to matrix form
    • Numerical integration of diagonal and coupled systems
    • Frequency domain solutions including the FFT, PSD, and SRS
    • Inertia relief
    • Statistics of loads

  2. Preliminary Loads
    • Center of Gravity Load Factors
    • Mass Acceleration Curve
    • Vibration Spectra
    • Synthetic Transients
    • Tools

  3. Making Good Models
    • Beam Representations
    • Component Model Reduction
    • System Model Integration
    • Damping Approaches
    • Data recovery: Residual Vectors and Mode Acceleration
    • Section Loads
    • Model Correlation
    • Uncertainty Factors

  4. CLA: Ground and Prelaunch
    • Ground Winds
    • Rollout
    • Transportation and Handling

  5. CLA: Liftoff
    • Forcing Functions
    • Multibody Integration and Pad Release
    • Monte Carlo

  6. CLA: Ascent
    • Aerodynamic Static Elastic (STEL)
    • Aerodynamic Gust
    • Buffet
    • Maneuvering Loads
    • Loads Combination
    • Day of Launch (DOL) Considerations

  7. CLA: Other Flight Events
    • System ID
    • Engine Oscillations and Pogo
    • Start-ups and Shutdowns
    • Separations or Staging
    • Reentry and Landing

  8. Systems Engineering, Tools, and the Future

Materials

Instructors

Paul A. Blelloch, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, Aerospace Analysis, ATA Engineering. Dr. Blelloch’s technical expertise is in the analysis of complex dynamic systems, particularly in the areas of control-structure interaction, optimization, model reduction, dynamic loads, model updating, and vibroacoustics. He has written over fifty technical papers.

As well as managing and performing a large variety of projects for various NASA centers and both large and small aerospace companies, Dr. Blelloch has developed advanced methods for analysis of control-structure interaction problems, model reduction of dynamic systems, damping of coupled systems, nonlinear dynamic response, fluid slosh, pressure stiffening of tanks, rapid payload reanalysis, sensor selection for modal testing, model updating and development of launch vehicle buffet loads. He has also developed classes in structural dynamics and vibroacoustics that he has taught at many NASA centers and aerospace companies.

Dr. Blelloch received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

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