Difference between a monocoque and semi-monocoque structure

The fuselage is the main structure of an aircraft or body that serves as support for the other
parts of the aircraft such as the wings, engines, empennage, etc. The most common type of
fuselage construction today is the monocoque which can be divided into two types: monocoque
and semi-monocoque. Next, we will see the difference between these two types.

The monocoque structure (a single shell) is the structure that

relies mainly on the strength of the outer skin of the fuselage,
which supports the main loads. In this type, formers, frames
and bulkheads are used to shape the fuselage. The heaviest of
these three are located at specific intervals to withstand
specific stresses, for example, where the aircraft's wings,
engines, or stabilizers are installed. Since there are no other
structural members in this type of construction, the skin is the
one that supports the stresses, the problem is that it must
support the stresses without increasing the weight.
Fig. 1. Monocoque structure
The semi-monocoque structure, like the monocoque structure, is made up of frames and
bulkheads but the main difference is that it includes new structural elements called stringers and
longerons . Longerons span several frames and are constructed of aluminum alloys, on the other
hand, stringers are smaller and lighter, also made of aluminum alloys. See fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Semi-monocoque structure

How many frames and stringers does the fuselage of the

A320 aircraft have?

The fuselage consists of 87 airframes (see Fig. 3) and 44

stringers on each side of the fuselage, that is, 44RH and 44LH
making a total of 88 stringers (see Fig. 4A and 4B) in the main
part of the fuselage. [2]
 Fig. 3. Frames and station numbers of the A320 fuselage.

STA1537/FR35

FR35 FR34 FR33 FR32 FR31 FR30 FR29 FR28 FR27 FR26 FR25 FR24

STGR18LH _-—222 1

STGR19
15 -1—220 5
STGR20

>
>^150 10
STGR21 620
m
5
” ->— 270 20
STGR22 ----180

STGR23 L——15025
STGR24 '- Yo- 30

STGR25 ________
L=7— 1435
•Yo-- -270
STGR26 —I— .35
STGR27 l,------ —40
Hi— 270
Yo ,— 150
1
STGR2S ------:------------40
L.----------14540
STGR29
- 150
1
STGR30
245.
——275172 40
155
165— 165— 165— 165— 165— 165— 265 -j -
45
— 240
165—j 165-j
STGR31

STGR32 —-----50

Fig. 4A. Detail of the stringers and frames of the A320 front fuselage.
FR35 FR3 FR33 FR32 FR31 FR3C FR29 FR28 FR27 FR26 FR25
FR24A.
4
FR24
STGR32 195—J 195-J 195-J 155 -J 195— 195—J 195— 195— 195— 195-J
STGR33

STGR34_STG 2 2 2 g_ 2 2 55 -—270
j 1 g d
Y
- 60
o r
R35 STGR36 65 -,270
 70
65

115-J 190—J 190 — 190—J 190—J 190-- 190—J 190—J 190—J 190-J -,270
405 70 1-,
75 1
STGR37 75
STGR38 75 -,270

S TGR39 1 — 120
— 75 an
S TGR40 90 85
80 □ ¡—270

- i 255145
STGR41
STGR44 185— 185 — 185— 185-J 185—J 185—J 160—J 185— 185— 185—

Fig. 4B. Detail of the stringers and frames of the A320 front fuselage.

Types of rivets with heat treatment [3]

The rivets used in aircraft are mostly heat-treated aluminum
alloys. In order to distinguish if these have a type of heat
treatment in their name, there is a nomenclature that tells us
what type of treatment they have had.
The two most used types of heat-treated rivets are those made
from 2017T and 2024T Aluminum alloys.

2017T Rivets: This is an extremely hard aluminum alloy, they

are known as D rivets and have been used for many years,
however, when jet engines began to be used, greater resistance
was needed in them, so the industry modified the alloys to
increase cut resistance and 2017-T31 with a strength of 30KSI
and 2017-T3 with a strength of 34KSI were produced. The
2017-T31 rivets are used in the construction of the 767.
These rivets must be heat treated before being used, they are
known as “icebox rivets” since they must be kept refrigerated
before being installed.

2024T Rivets: Like 2017T alloy these rivets must be heat

treated before being installed. They should be kept frozen
before being installed and should be installed within a
maximum of 10 minutes after being removed from the freezer.
They are known as DD rivets. If kept at a temperature of -30°F,
the rivets will last for two weeks.

Bibliography:
[1] FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook Airframe
(Volume 1), US, 2012.
[2] Structural Repair Manual A320 (53-00-00, 53-21-13)
[3] Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook FAA-H-8083-
30, Ch. 5