PIRE: US-Asia Network of Centers for Intelligent Structural Health Management of Safety-Critical Structures

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) 2007 ABSTRACT Proposal No: 0730259 PI: Sridhar Krishnaswamy Institution: Northwestern University Title: [PIRE: US-Asia Network of Centers for Intelligent Structural Health Management of Safety-Critical Structures (ISHM)] This project will join U.S., Indian, Chinese and South Korean partners in an international research and education project to establish a US-Asian network of centers for basic research on Intelligent Structural Health Management of safety-critical aerospace, mechanical, and civil structures. The aim is to develop ISHM systems that are applicable across disciplines and in diverse global settings. Sridhar Krishnaswamy, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Center for Quality Engineering & Failure Prevention at Northwestern University leads a partnership with the University of Illinois, Chicago; Harbin Institute of Technology, China; Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India; National Aerospace Labs, India; Pusan National University, South Korea; GE India Technology Center; Goodrich Corporation; Honeywell; and Boeing. On the U.S. side, this five-year project will train 22 graduate students, and 10 undergraduate students. This PIRE will implement an extensive exchange program of faculty and student research to develop novel sensor systems for on-line diagnostics, develop advanced instrumentation for off-line non-destructive characterization, investigate material degradation mechanisms to obtain damage growth laws for relevant material systems, and develop probabilistic methods for prognosis of the remaining lifetime of a structure. The international partners include Jinping Ou, Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Materials at Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China; Krishnan Balasubramaniam, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India; and Joon-Hyun Lee, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Pusan, Korea. U.S. researchers will conduct part of their research at the international partners' sites through several extended visits of about four months' duration each. The international training for the students includes internships with industry. The Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation is co-funding this award. ***