Engineering Research: Faculty and Ongoing Projects

1. Engineering Research: Faculty and Ongoing Projects Biomedical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering Computer Engineering Materials Joining Engineering

2. Biomedical Research Faculty Directors Roger Gonzalez, Ph.D., P.E. (University of Texas, Austin, 1994 ) JoshWebb, Ph.D. (Stanford University, 2010)

3. ACL Deficient Knee Research • NSF Funded Project • Measure muscle forces, ground reaction forces, and joint angles • Test with cadaver knees and fixtures • Verify computational model • Develop scientific basis for surgery or therapy

4. LEGS Prosthetics • Design, create , test • Lower extremity artificial limbs • Use in developing world • Inexpensive • Maintenance –free • Improve gait

5. LEGS Prosthetics • Currently in use in Kenya, Senegal, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone

6. Graduate Work in Mechanical EngineeringGreg Reynolds, Ph.D, P.E.(Virginia Tech, 1982) Jesse French, Ph. D. (University of Tulsa, 2010)

7. Mechanical Engineering Research • Materials • Fluids • Biomimetics • Energy Generation • Energy Storage • Technology Transfer to Developing People Groups

8. Alternative Energy Materials AEM is here. Alternative Energy Generation and Capture Wind Solar Hydro Nuclear Geothermal Radiation Magnetic Vibration Waste Energy Energy Harvesting Sustainable Materials Natural Fibers Natural Polymers Low Energy Polymers Hybrid Composites Quartz Ceramics Biomimicry Movement Manufacturing Flow Resonance Form Function Materials Critical Ratios

9. Research in ME - Fall 2011 • Continuing Research Assistantship • Non-Rotational Fluid Energy Capture (Materials, Energy, Fluids) • New Sponsored Research Assistantship #1 • Sustainability in Non-Metallic Repairs (Materials, Composites, Polymers) • New Sponsored Research Assistantship #2 • Alternative Energy Materials (Materials, Energy, Fluids)

10. Structural Composites Research Faculty Director Stephen R. Ayers, PhD (University of S. Queensland, 2001)

11. Composite Materials for High Performance Durable Bridge Decks • Project Aim: • To develop a bridge deck replacement system which effectively utilizes the enhanced durability and performance of FRP composites while improving installed costs, standard supply options and accessibility for regular structural engineers

12. Where Are We At? • 1996 • First FRP bridge constructed • No Name Creek, KS • 2008 • 118 bridges constructed to date • Most bridges in northeastern US • 82% from 4 suppliers • No code based design • Pre-approved designs – no ability of engineer to modify properties • On-going problems with concentrated loads • Cost discrepancy down from 10:1 to 3:1 Why Aren’t We Doing Better? • Cost • Non-standard design practices • Specialized Manufacture • The lack of a competitive, open bidding process for projects

13. Targeting a Better Solution • 4 Guiding Principles for New Development • Above anything else, a new approach to composite bridge structures is required which better addresses the up-front cost disparity between composite designs and traditional solutions. • A new approach to composite bridge structures is required which places the design role back in the hands of the DOT, county engineer and contracted design engineers. • A new approach to composite bridge structures is required which better harmonizes with the existing practices and equipment of established construction teams. • A new approach to composite bridge structures is required where design engineers be able to produce specifications which can be competitively bid on for construction.

14. FRP Reinforced Polymer Concrete • Polymer Concrete • Mix based on specific gravities • Self separating during cure to develop tensile and compression zones • Uses fly-ash waste products (environmental benefits) • Improved bond between reinforcement and matrix • Improved structural properties compared to regular concrete • Prepared similar to regular concrete • 3-D FRP Reinforcement System • Based on standard pultruded profiles • Lower cost • Improved availability • Square hollow shapes • Reduced structure weight • Improved manufacturability • Improved bonding – no ribs or physical anchorages required

15. Opportunities for MS Students? • Materials development and characterization • Component mechanics studies (short and long-term) • Manufacturing techniques • Technology scale-up into larger components and full-size bridge

16. Electrical Engineering Research Faculty Directors Joonwan Kim, Ph. D., P.E. (University of Alabama, Huntsville, 2003 Seung Kim, Ph. D. (University of Alabama, Huntsville, 2004)

17. - Adaptive Noise Canceller (ANC) design using the variable step size algorithm • -Design and build military communication systems for Rockwell Collins Ins. • Design and build an augmented positioning system capable of logging • the position of a mobile vehicle.

18. -Design a receiver for Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) over shortwave bands with diversity capability

19. Research in Computer Engineering and Control Systems Marian Iordache, Ph. D. (University of Notre Dame, 2004)

20. Software Tools for Concurrent Programming • Software tools for converting sequential programs to concurrent programs are available. • However, programs can be considerably more efficient when written from the beginning as concurrent programs. • Concurrent programming is notoriously difficult. • Solution: Generate automatically the concurrency code.

21. Software Tools for Concurrent Programming • An area of research at LeTourneau University is the development of software tools that help automate concurrent programming. • This work involves: • Specification languages for concurrency control. • Formal representations of concurrency specifications (Petri nets). • Formal synthesis methods (supervisory control). • Much programming.

22. Opportunities for MS Students • Rules and heuristics for a computationally efficient application of supervisory control methods. • Supervisory control algorithms for software applications. • Specification languages and translators.

23. Materials Joining Engineering Research Faculty Director Yoni Adonyi, PhD, PE (The Ohio State University, 1989)

24. Thermoelectric materials for solid-state power generation, engineered semiconductor welding • Need MJE, ME and EE candidates (2 Graduate Researcher positions) for FEA modeling of thermal- and stress analysis, diffusion and surface tension fundamentals, experiments, testing. • Career opportunities after graduation: Advanced Manufacturing in electronics industry, PhD acceptance at EE, Mat Science, Welding Engineering programs • US citizens or permanent residents only

25. Background • Seebeck, Peltier, and Thomson effects • Figure of Merit • Power • Anisotropy

26. Activity 1 – Modeling and Validation

27. Innovative (solid-state) welding of High Performance Steels for Bridges • Friction Stir, High Frequency, Thermal Stir and hybrid solid-state processes • Need MJE, ME and EE candidates (2 positions) for FEA modeling of hybrid process development, tool wear studies. • Funded by Federal Highway Administration (Research Lab), in conjunction with NASA and Navy Surface Warfare Center • Further career opportunities: Advanced Manufacturing, PhD acceptance in Mat Science- , Manufacturing- and Welding- Engineering programs

28. Project Structure

29. Activity 1 – Tool Wear Modeling

30. What is new? • Innovative process development (Hybrid HF/FSW welding) • Positioned to avoid rediscovering the wheel (East Texas) • Concave shoulder FSW tool • Base metal gap closure control for proximity effect • High strength steel expertise up to 150 ksi UTS • Post weld processing (PWHT)