DMS-EPSRC: Collaborative Research: Stochastic Dynamics of Vibro-Impact Systems with Applications in Energy Harvesting

电子设备的快速发展，如集成到物联网中的可穿戴和无线传感器网络，产生了对能够为电池充电以延长电池寿命的高效、环保能源发电机的需求。振动能量采集是一种从自然或强迫振动中获取能量的过程，例如结构运动或人类活动，为这种能量产生提供了一种很有前途的方法。这笔赠款利用了数学创新和数据驱动建模之间的协同作用，产生了变革性的工具，用于推进非常有前途但令人惊讶的复杂系统，用于能源收集和有针对性的能源转移。这项研究通过支持自动充电无线传感器的广泛使用，如在桥梁、建筑物和离岸可再生能源发电机上，为未来的经济和环境影响做出贡献。为健康和结构安全监测系统中的无线设备供电将显著降低与有线技术相关的运营和维护成本。因此，对环境的贡献是双重的：作为一种绿色能源设备的直接贡献，以及通过在可再生能源部门实现有效的诊断和预测的间接贡献。这笔赠款的目标是解决数学发展和具有非光滑动力学的基于冲击的工程设备和系统的实际应用方面的差距和机会，这对理解振动能量的获取至关重要。这项拨款的主要研究目标是开发一套通用的数学方法，用于分析和优化确定性和随机非光滑工程系统的性能。这些方法的重点是在目标能量转移的广泛领域内，对冲击振动能量收集系统和非线性动力阻尼器的实际工程模型进行研究。将新的非线性、随机和计算方法与用于能量采集和减振装置的实验和真实世界数据相结合，将为基于分析的设计和模型验证铺平新的道路。在分析、计算和数据驱动的数学创新之间寻求协同联系，既是为了推动新的数学方法，也是为了获得设备设计的实用预测。这笔奖金也将作为博士后和研究生的优秀跨学科培训场地。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The rapid development of electronic devices, such as wearable and wireless sensors networks integrated into the Internet of Things, has created the need for efficient, environmentally-friendly energy generators capable of recharging batteries to prolong their lifespan. Vibrational energy harvesting, a process for scavenging energy from natural or forced vibrations such as structural movement or human activity, provides a promising means for this energy generation. This grant leverages a synergy between mathematical innovation and data-driven modeling, yielding transformative tools for advancing highly promising yet surprisingly complex systems for energy harvesting and targeted energy transfer. The research contributes to future economic and environmental impacts by supporting the widespread use of self-recharging wireless sensors, such as on bridges, buildings, and off-shore renewable energy generators. Powering wireless devices in health and structural safety monitoring systems will significantly reduce operation and maintenance costs associated with the wired technologies. The environmental contributions are therefore two-fold: direct, as a green energy device, and indirect through enabling effective diagnostics and prognostics in the renewable energy sector.The goals of this grant address gaps and opportunities in mathematical developments and in practical applications for impact-based engineering devices and systems with non-smooth dynamics, critical for understanding the harvesting of vibrational energy. The main research objective of this grant is to develop a universal suite of mathematical methodologies for the analysis and optimized performance of deterministic and stochastic non-smooth engineering systems. These approaches are pursued with a focus on practical engineering models of vibro-impacting energy harvesting systems and nonlinear dynamic dampers, within the broad area of targeted energy transfer. Integrating novel nonlinear, stochastic, and computational approaches with experimental and real-world data both for energy harvesting and for devices that mitigate vibration will pave new pathways for analysis-based design and model validation. Synergistic connections between analysis, computations and data-driven mathematical innovation are pursued both to drive new mathematical approaches and to obtain practical predictions for device design. This grant will also serve as an excellent cross-disciplinary training ground for the involved postdocs and graduate students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.