This document provides information about the MSc/PgDip/PgCert in Advanced Lightweight Structures and Impact program at Cranfield University. The program prepares students for careers related to designing lightweight structures through novel materials while maintaining structural integrity and safety, including crashworthiness. Students learn skills in structural analysis, numerical simulation, and crash/impact modeling through coursework, a group design project, and an individual research thesis. Graduates have gone on to work for companies in the aerospace, automotive, and defense industries.

1. MSc/ PgDip/ PgCert in
Advanced Lightweight
Structures and Impact
Full-time
www.cranfield.ac.uk/soe/alsi

2. Postgraduate study
Cranfield University
2
Cranfield University MSc/PgDip/PgCert in Advanced Lightweight Structures and Impact
MSc/PgDip/PgCert in
Advanced Lightweight Structures and Impact
Designing advanced structures through novel, lightweight materials is one of
the key enabling technologies for both aerospace and automotive sectors to
align with national targets for reduction of carbon. In reducing inherent structural
weight, it is essential not to compromise safety, as structural integrity and designing
for crashworthiness become key design drivers.
Understanding how a structure or material performs over its life cycle under static
and dynamic loading, including crash, bird strike, or explosion, requires expertise in
a range of areas. As new simulation and material technologies emerge, there is
a continuing need for talented employees with a strong, applied understanding in
structural analysis, together with competent technical skills in numerical simulation.
Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations including Airbus, Rolls Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Safran, Nissan and
Aston Martin, taking up positions not only in the UK, but across Europe. Accreditation by a number of professional institutions is
further testament to our teaching standards and course content.
The MSc in Advanced Lightweight Structures and Impact (ALSI) is suitable for graduates in engineering, physics or mathematics
and will prepare you for an exciting career, ranging from structural design to optimisation of crash protection systems, predicting
wave impact loading on offshore structures to simulating explosives, and much more.
Stand out from the crowd
There are no other courses that provide dedicated, specialist
training in numerical analysis, crashworthiness and impact,
which results in many of our graduates securing employment/
research offers before the course finishes.
This is the direct result of the teaching team placing special
emphasis on providing a solid theoretical and applied back-
ground, enabling graduates to directly transfer these skills to
solve problems faced by Industry.
Through LinkedIn, current students can network with previous
graduates and discover more about the exciting and varied
career possibilities that await. Many graduates continue to
contribute and support the course by providing lectures or
engaging direct with students.
All students will be given a tablet/notebook as part of their
studies on this course.
Unique facilities
Each student will have the opportunity to access a range of facilities used during the taught and research elements of the course,
including:
• Industry Standard commercial software packages including PATRAN/NASTRAN, ABAQUS, HYPERWORKS and LS-DYNA.
Access to a High Performance Computing facility (1200 cores), which permits large scale computational research projects to
be performed.
• Dedicated material testing lab with a range of Instron test machines, including non-contact full field strain measurements
techniques (Digital Image Correlation).
• Dedicated Gun lab comprising of a single stage gas gun with high-speed cameras/ data acquisition system.
Focus on your interests
Students who enrol come from a variety of different back-
grounds. Many have specific careers in mind, such as working
in automotive or aerospace disciplines, materials development
for defence applications, or working in the field of numerical
code development/consultancy.
With this in mind, the course can be tailored to your interests
through specialist optional modules and is structured around
three elements:
• Specialist lecture modules, both assessed and non-
assessed, including software training and guest lectures
by industry speakers. Online self-study training videos
supplement and enhance the student learning experience.
• Industry supported Group Design Project, which is student
led and provides training in problem solving and project
management.
• Individual Research Project (thesis), which provides an
opportunity to deepen your expertise in a specific subject.

3. 3
www.cranfield.ac.uk/soe/alsi
Postgraduate study
Cranfield University
Research at Cranfield University
The Crashworthiness, Impact and Structural Mechanics Group has an
international reputation for research in the field of simulation methods
development and have made significant contributions modelling non-
linear static and dynamic structural behaviour. The Group provides
taught Masters, MSc by Research and PhD programmes, as well as
professional development courses for industry.
The Group’s areas of expertise include numerical methods
development, improved constitutive and damage models for metals
and composites, meshless methods development (SPH), novel
structural concept development and optimisation and testing.
Recent high profile clients have included the European Commission,
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, AWE, Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin
Lagonda, Red Bull Racing, MBDA and many others.
MSc Group Design Project
The group project aims to provide you with experience in dealing with
the complexities of working within a design team. This part of the course
is student-led, which develops both technical and project management
skills on an industrially relevant project.
Recent studies include:
• Redesign of a Crashworthy Helicopter Troop Seat
• Crash Protection for a Low Volume Sports Car
• Aircraft Ditching onto Water
• Design and analysis of a Drop Test Tower
• High-strain rate material testing and simulation.
MSc Research Thesis Project
Individual research project topics can vary greatly, allowing you
to specialise in a particular subject. A list of suggested topics are
provided and includes projects proposed by staff and industry.
Recent Individual Research Projects include:
• Bird Strike Assessment of Composite Jet Engine Fan Blades for
closed and open rotor concepts.
• Impact Damage in Composite/Hybrid Sandwich Structures.
Your career
This programme is specifically tailored to provide graduates with the
necessary skills to pursue a successful engineering career, who are
targeted for recruitment by companies and organisations.
Graduates of the course have been successful gaining employment in:
• Aeronautical Industry
• Automotive Industry
• Defence Industry
• Engineering Consultancies
• Research Organisations
• Academic Institutions.
If your interests lie in research, many former graduates have gone on
to pursue PhDs either at Cranfield or elsewhere.
Research and Careers
“Approximately two years ago I finished my exams
at Cranfield as a part of my MSc studies. At that
time, I had no idea that the whole Cranfield experi-
ence would make such a big impact in my life, as I
learned how to approach new problems and solve
them. It boosted my confidence and widened my
perspective as to how real industrial problems are
approached and what tools are used.”
Marko Podgorelec, 2011-2012
Hella Saturnus Slovenia, Mechanical Engineer
“The course offered very specific modules which
fitted very well with my professional plans and
academic interests. Additionally, the opportunity to
undertake a very interesting final year project with
Williams F1, as well as the University connections
with the industry made Cranfield a very desirable
place to study.
My studies at Cranfield helped me to find a job at
Aston Martin Lagonda in the Product Development
department.”
Pawel Sobzak, 2011-2012
Aston Martin Lagonda, CAE Engineer
Testing the impact resistance of a windscreen.

4. Postgraduate study
Cranfield University
Cranfield University MSc/PgDip/PgCert in Advanced Lightweight Structures and Impact
†† Advanced Composite Analysis and Simulation
Provides training in composite and high performance
material design and selection under linear and non-linear
dynamic loading. Topics include damage mechanics and
practical issues related to numerical modelling.
†† Crashworthiness (automotive or aerospace)
This module will provide the basic principles involved in the
analysis and design of crashworthy structures.
†† Simulation for Impact and Crashworthiness
Provide theoretical and practical training in the use non-
linear, explicit codes for dynamic problems, including
conventional finite element and meshless codes for
predicting structural collapse and failure.
†† Thin-Walled Structures
To provide fundamental knowledge and understanding of
structural thin walled structures.
†† Structural Stability
Provide an understanding of the buckling of thin walled
structures and the ability to calculate the buckling load
of a component.
†† Structural Dynamics
Covers structural vibration and dynamics, and an under-
standing of finite element analysis of dynamics and vibration.
Three additional modules are designed to complement the course and provide an opportunity for all students to have the relevant
background before embarking on more specialist modules. Knowledge and understanding will be assessed indirectly through group
or individual projects.
†† Structural Mechanics
Fundamental knowledge and understanding of structural
mechanics and thin walled structures.
†† Impact Dynamics
Understanding material response to different rates of
loading, including experimental & simulation methods.
The course runs from October to September, with the key activities in the period up to April being taught lecture modules and the
Group Design Project. From April until the end of August, students work full time on their thesis project.
The programme employs a wide range of teaching methods designed to create a demanding and varied learning environment
including: structured lecture programmes, self-study online training videos, case studies, “hands-on” computing, individual
projects, and guest speakers.
Course information
Key facts
Entry requirements
1st or 2nd class UK honours degree or equivalent in mathematics,
physics, computing or an engineering discipline.
Methods of study
Full-time
Duration
1 year full-time
Contact
Crashworthiness, Impact
and Structural Mechanics Group
T: +44 (0)1234 758276
E: alsi_msc@cranfield.ac.uk
www.cranfield.ac.uk/soe/alsi
Core (Compulsory) Modules
Assessed Optional Modules (three modules to be chosen)
Non-Assessed Modules
SoE1444
†† Finite Element Methods
Provides an understanding of the inner workings of a code by
introducing users to the terminology, basic numerical and math-
ematical aspects of the method. This should help students to
avoid some of the more common and important user errors,
many of which stem from a “black box” approach to this technique.
†† Introduction to Continuum Mechanics
Provide an introduction to infinitesimal and finite deformation of
solids, generalised Hook’s law, constitutive relationships and the
thermodynamics of deformation processes.
†† Material Characterisation for Simulation
Provides the basic principles involved in characterising material
properties, by measuring the quantities required for numerical
simulation purposes.
†† Automotive vehicle structures
Aims to cover the first principles approach for assessing load
paths in integral vehicle structures using the Simple Structural
Surfaces (SSS) method.
†† Shockwaves and explosives
The course is aimed at giving the students basic understanding
of explosives and shock wave physics.
†† Applied Finite Element Modelling
Covers the practical use of commercial analysis codes and
complements the FE theory by providing training in best practice
in building, running, checking and interpreting results from FEA
models.
Start date
October
Number of places
25