Description of Ongoing and/or Recently Completed Projects

• Digital Human Modeling
  • Sponsor: DoD
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Karim Abdel Malek, Dept. of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, (PI)
    • Jasbir S. Arora, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, (co-PI),
    • C.C. Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, (co-investigator)
    • Numerous others as co-investigators.
  • Brief Overview: In this large team effort, numerous aspects of real-time, optimization-based digital human modeling are being addressed. My group focuses on issues related to mathematical modeling of clothing.

• Optimized Meshless Algorithms for Seamless Integration of CAD, Simulation, and Design
  • Sponsor: NSF-DARPA
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Weimin Han, Dept. of Mathematics, UI (PI), Error Analysis of Meshfree Methods
    • J.S. Chen, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, UI (co-PI), Meshless Methods for Large Deformation Problems
    • K.K. Choi, Mechanical Engineering, UI (co-PI), Meshless-Based Integration of CAD, Simulation, and Design
    • C.C. Swan, Civil \& Environmental Engineering, UI (co-PI), Computational Aspects of Meshless Methods
  • Graduate Students:
    • Xiaolin Man, Civil \& Environmental Engineering
    • Youngjoon Kim, Mechanical Engineering
  • Brief Overview: In this team effort, a variety of aspects of meshfree methods are being investigated and developed. My group is concentrating on development of parallel solving algorithms taking advantage of the unique structure of meshfree methods.

• Continuum Topology Design Methods for MEMS
  • Sponsor: University of Iowa, CIFRE
  • Senior Investigators:
    • C.C. Swan, Civil \& Environmental Engineering
  • Graduate Student:
    • Salam Rahmatalla, Civil \& Environmental Engineering
  • Project Abstract
  • Brief Overview: In this project, we are exploring the application of continuum structural topology optimization to the design of MEMS that necessarily undergo controlled finite deformations under linear force loadings.

• Hierarchical Flow and Deformation as Mechanisms for Bone Adaptation
  • Sponsor: The Whitaker Foundation
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Colby Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, PI
    • Rod Lakes, Biomedical Engineering, co-investigator
    • Richard Brand, Orthopaedic Surgery, co-investigator
  • Graduate Students:
    • Kit Stewart, Biomedical Engineering
    • Elijah Garner, Mechanical Engineering
  • Project Abstract
  • Brief Overview: In this project, we are studying excitation-induced deformation and fluid flow in cortical bone on a spectrum of different length scales (whole bone; osteon; and canaliculus). Mutually complementary computational and experimental approaches are being pursued.

• Homogenization Based Design of Textile Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites
  • Sponsor: U.S. National Science Foundation
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Colby Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, PI
  • Graduate Student:
    • Bhairavavajjula Nageswararao, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Project Abstract
  • Brief Overview: In recent years, it has been found that composites with continuous fibrous reinforcing in three orthogonal directions might well feature enhanced stiffness and strength characteristics , with reduced anisotropy. In this project, we are developing methods for computational analysis of textile-reinforced polymer matrix composites. The composites being analyzed and optimized are being prototyped and their mechanical properties experimentally measured.

• Design of High Damping Viscoelastic Composites
  • Sponsor: U.S. National Science Foundation
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Rod Lakes, Dept. of Engineering Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison
    • Colby Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Iowa
    • Graduate Student:
      • HyungJoo Kim, Mechanical Engineering
  • Project Abstract
  • Brief Overview: The objective of this project is to design, analyze, and test composite materials that feature both high stiffness and high viscoelastic damping characteristics. Complementary experimental and analytical approaches are being utilized.

• Seepage Induced Earthen Slope Failures
  • Sponsor: U. of Iowa, Old Gold Fellowship
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Colby Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Graduate Student:
    • Young-Kyo Seo, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Project Abstract
  • Brief Overview: The objective of this project is to develop computational methods for predicting seepage-induced earthen slope failures. Computational methods being applied in concert are: usage of coupled fluid-solid continuum mechanics; soil plasticity modeling (smooth cap models); and computational limit state analysis.

• Design of a Large Deformation Flexible Mechanism
  • Sponsor: Ball Semiconductor, Incorporated
  • Senior Investigators:
    • Colby Swan, Civil & Environmental Engineering
    • Seonho Cho, Post-doctoral Associate, Center for Computer-Aided Design
  • Brief Overview: The objective of this project is to take our existing continuum structural topology optimization framework and extend it to account for large deformation effects. Upon completing this extension, a specific problem of direct interest to the sponsor will be formulated and solved.

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