Aerospace Department

Faculty of Engineering
Cairo University
Giza, 12613, Egypt

Basman Elhadidi, PhD

belhadid@eng.cu.edu.eg
www.eng.cu.edu.eg/aerospace
Office:+202 35678653

Course Specification
University
Cairo
Program(s)
Major element of program
Minor element of program
Department offering the program
Department offering the course
Academic year / Level
Date of specification approval

Faculty
Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace Engineering

Department

Aerospace

Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
4th year Aerospace Engineering Students
November, 2007

A- Basic Information
Title
Credit Hours
Practical
Pre-requisites

Computational Aerodynamics
3
Lecture
3
0
Total
4
AER112, AER201a, AER201b, AER301a, AER301b

Code
Tutorial

402
1

B- Professional Information
1 Overall Aims of Course
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Learn basic concepts of numerical analysis and CFD algorithm (e.g. finite difference, finite volume and
finite element techniques).
Learn basic concepts of diffusion versus convection and apply numerical technique for solving model
problems in heat diffusion, convection-diffusion and unsteady problems.
Solve simple two dimensional problems for the Laplace, Poisson, and general transport equation.
Investigate issues in numerical accuracy and stability
Solve the Navier-Stokes equations in simple two dimensional flows (Driven cavity, flow in a channel, flow
around bluff bodies)
Introduce the student to computational aerodynamics to obtain the forces and moments about an aircraft.

2 Intended Learning Outcomes of Course (ILOs)

a) Knowledge and Understanding:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. Use of computational fluid dynamics to determine the grid requirements to obtain resolved numerical
results for different model problems (parabolic, elliptic, and hyperbolic equations)
2. Understand the basic elements of the solution of a coupled system of equations governing the flow
problems
3. Use of computational fluid dynamics to compute the forces about surfaces
4. Use of computational fluid dynamics to compute the moments about an aircraft
b) Intellectual Skills
Upon completion of this course the students should be able to:
1. Analyze different equation types and determine suitable numerical formulation
2. Discretize the governing equations
3. Solve applied problems in heat diffusion, heat convection, flow transport, and simple two dimensional
(Laplace equation, Poisson equation and transport equation), Navier-Stokes problems
4. Solve flow around complex bodies by using commercial tools
c) Professional and Practical Skills
1. Perform basic computational fluid dynamics simulations
2. Use commercial codes to solve relevant CFD problems in Aerospace.

Aerospace Department
Faculty of Engineering
Cairo University
Giza, 12613, Egypt

Basman Elhadidi, PhD

belhadid@eng.cu.edu.eg
www.eng.cu.edu.eg/aerospace
Office:+202 35678653

d- General and Transferable skills

1. Computing skills
2. Working in a group
3. Use of technological tool

3- Contents
Topics

Number
of hours

Lectures

Tutorial &
Practical

Classification of partial differential equations

Finite volume representation for diffusion problems (heat equation for
one and two dimensional flows)
Finite volume representation for convection diffusion problems
(convection diffusion heat equation, wave equation)
Finite volume representation for unsteady problems (time integration
using forward and backward Euler and trapezoidal scheme)
Stability Analysis (Von Neuman stability analysis)
Modified Equation (Analysis of error terms)
Numerical Essentials (nonlinear terms, and definition of residual)
Solution of Navier Stokes Equations (solution using stream function
vorticity for different simple model problems)
Advanced topics: Introduction to grid generation and unstructured
meshes, solution of Euler equations

4 Teaching and Learning Methods

1.
2.

Lecture
Tutorials

5- Student Assessment Methods

Assessment
Assessment to:
Attendance
To ensure serious learning of students
Homework
To assess understanding of lecture material
submitted in
lab
Project
To apply understanding in applied engineering problem
Midterm exam
Practical exam
Oral exam
Final exam

To assess gains of completed topics

N/A
N/A
To assess gains of completed topics

Schedule
Every lecture
Bi-weekly

Weight
4%
12%

Week 6, 9 and
13
Week 7

12%

Finals week

60%

12%

6- List of References
1.
2.
3.
4.

Course notes on www.eng.cu.edu.eg/aerospace

H.K. Versteeg & W. Malalasekera, An Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics - The Finite Volume
Method, Longman Scientific & Technical, 1995.
C. Hirsch, Numerical Computation of Internal and External Flows, Volume 1, Fundamentals of
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007
K. Hoffmann, and S. Chiang, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Fourth Edition, 2000, Engineering
Education System.

Aerospace Department
Faculty of Engineering
Cairo University
Giza, 12613, Egypt

7- Facilities Required for Teaching and Learning

Aerodynamic Laboratory at the Aerospace Engineering Departement
Head of Department
Course Coordinator

Prof. Gamal Bayoumi

Dr. Basman Elhadidi

Date prepared: January 2013

Basman Elhadidi, PhD

belhadid@eng.cu.edu.eg
www.eng.cu.edu.eg/aerospace
Office:+202 35678653