Extended Essay · Structures
6061-T6 Structural Efficiency Study
A comparison of analytical mechanics, FEA predictions, and physical deflection as material is removed from aluminum structures.
Project record
What the work demonstrates.
This Extended Essay study connects analytical mechanics, CAD geometry, finite-element analysis, and physical deflection testing.
The central value is not a simulation image by itself. The project asks whether calculated and simulated predictions remain useful when compared with measurements from a physical test stand.
Determine how circular, hexagonal, and isogrid-style patterns affect stiffness-to-weight behavior—and where models diverge from testing.
Development record
Stages, iterations, and evidence.
- 01
Model
Geometry and calculation
Develop circular, hexagonal, and isogrid-style material-removal patterns and calculate their expected structural behavior.
- 02
Simulate
Finite-element analysis
Use Onshape and SimScale to predict deflection across material-removal fractions from approximately 10 to 70 percent.
- 03
Test
Physical deflection
Use a custom test stand and dial indicator to compare physical measurements with the analytical and FEA models.
Active questions
What the next evidence needs to answer.
- 01Which removal pattern retains the greatest stiffness for its mass?
- 02Where do analytical, simulated, and physical results begin to diverge?
- 03Which sources of uncertainty most affect the test comparison?