Lightweighting and Structural Optimization

3-0-9 units · Graduate

Presents modern processes, technologies, and methods used to develop lighter vehicular structures critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering costs. Explores how materials design, solid mechanics, mechanical engineering, manufacturing technologies, joining technologies, and numerical optimization are all brought to task to effect real-world lightweighting of both primary and secondary vehicle structures. Additionally, since important lessons are in past designs, the evolution of lightweight design in aerospace, automotive, and bicycles are presented and defining aspects from milestone designs are critically assessed. Students taking graduate version submit additional work.