CAREER: A Career Plan for Research and Education in Smart Materials and Structures

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AbstractThis CAREER proposal is aimed to develop a smart materials and structures academic program at The University of Houston. This proposal includes four major components: 1) Conduct innovative research in smart materials and structures. The PI will focus on: (1) Compensation of hysteresis in smart actuators using neural networks and sliding-mode based robust controller. (2) Precision tracking control of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators. (3) Position control of SMA actuators without a position sensor. (4) Active control of a composite plate with embedded SMA wire actuators. (5) Precision shape control using piezo patch actuators. (6) Vibration damping using controllable backlash. 2) Develop a state-of-art Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory to support research. 3) Establish a novel smart materials and structures curriculum, including new courses and a teaching laboratory. 4) Integrate research, lab development and the curriculum with undergraduate teaching, minority programs, women engineering programs, and outreach programs. The significance and impact of this Career Development Plan are multifold: 1) Contribute to the advance of technology development in smart materials and structures. Hysteresis exists in almost all smart actuators. The proposed control approach has potential to compensate for hysteresis and significantly increase control accuracy and stability of smart actuators and widen their applications. The elimination of the position sensor in a SMA servo system will dramatically decrease its cost and widen SMA's application. The proposed active shape control will significantly increase accuracy and robustness of precision system such as space reflectors. The smart composite beam with embedded SMA actuators will enable many potential applications for active shape control and vibration damping. Vibration damping using controllable backlash can be applied to many cantilevered flexible structures. 2) Strengthen research and teaching at The University of Houston. 3) Benefit underrepresented students to participate engineering research. 4) Benefit high school students to pursue higher education and careers in engineering. 5) Benefit local industries and government agencies by supplying students with knowledge of this emerging technology.