ME Seminar Series: Future Directions for Structural Dynamics

David Ewins, Royal College London: In most aerospace structures there are two primary concerns: performance - often dictated by thermo-fluid considerations, and integrity - which is heavily influenced by materials and structural dynamics. This talk is concerned with the latter aspect, and the efforts which are under way to improve this aspect of the state-of-the-art aerospace designs of the future. The first part of the talk is essentially a strategic overview of the whole area of Structural Dynamics, seeking to identify some of the crucial topics that present the most urgent challenges for further progress. At the strategic level, the first issue is the critical importance of obtaining the correct balance between the three core competences that must be deployed in almost every application ¿ Theoretical Modelling, Numerical Analysis and Experimental Measurement. Then, the focus turns to ensure that the integration of test analysis activities which is necessary to carry out Validation and Verification of models, designs and products are properly and effectively carried out, including full attention to all sources of uncertainty.