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Advanced Structures

Aerospace structures need to be sturdy, but as light as possible. Some of these materials will be traveling a long way under extreme conditions. We develop structures that are not only aerodynamic, but also lighter, stronger and more flexible to increase fuel efficiency, reduce waste and boost reusability. We are also pursuing innovative strategies such as smarter materials that can alert you when they are damaged to increase safety and make maintenance easier.

Associated faculty

Key labs

Student club highlight

Hyperloop team

Washington Tunneling

Engineering innovative transit solutions.

Related News

Composites work wins second Mary Gates Scholarship for John Buffalo

After a six-month internship at SpaceX, John Buffalo has returned to win a second Mary Gates Scholarship.

A&A’s Australia summer program helps forge future directions with LSAMP

A&A Australia, a summer program led by Professor JK Yang and supported by LSAMP, fuses art and STEM into structures and composites research and opens up new pathways for UW students who didn’t expect to be able to study abroad.

In Memoriam: Professor Kuen Y. Lin

We mourn the passing of Professor Kuen Y. Lin on January 19, 2017. Professor Lin served on the A&A faculty for 33 years as a dedicated professor, mentor and colleague. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from National Taiwan University and master’s and doctoral degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, Professor Lin spent six years in industry, working for Deere & Co. and The Boeing Company. Professor Lin was an expert in the areas of composite materials, finite element methods, and fracture mechanics, and co-creator of the Mar-Lin Fracture Model, which is used by the aerospace industry for the damage tolerant design of composite aircraft structures. He also developed a singular hybrid finite element method for the accurate analysis of bi-material fracture problems. His recent research efforts have direct applications to the critical technologies needed in developing the next generation of aerospace vehicles.