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San Diego State University - Minds That Move the World

Department of Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics

College of Engineering, San Diego State University

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Research Activities

Research topics

Aerodynamic Design


Recent research projects have focused on configuration aerodynamics, using both computational and experimental tools. The Fluids Laboratory has optimized airfoil and wing shape for UAVs. Computational tools are developed for fast airfoil analysis and even the design of race-car oriented negative lifting surfaces. Comprehensive vortex flow and vortex generator studies were conducted in the wind tunnel. Results of which are now used for CFD validation. Unsteady flapping wing configurations, wind turbines, and helicopter blades were tested and numerically modeled in some of those recent studies.

Fundamental Fluids Research


Several cutting-edge research topics in the area of Fundamental Fluids are investigated. These include compressible, turbulent flow in complex geometries, unsteady flow separation, vortex flows, and particle-laden, reacting flows. State-of-the-art numerical tools including high-order Discontinuous Galerkin solvers and particle methods are used to study the detailed complex flow structures and statistics. Validation is performed in experimental setups, using advanced pressure sensors and PIV.

Structural Optimization


The research in structural optimization is aimed at developing efficient procedures for optimizing aerospace structures. The topics currently being investigated include surrogate model for structural optimization, reliability based design of structures, reliability optimization incorporating data and model uncertainty, efficient multi-level and multi-fidelity structural optimization, design for robust and predictable progressive failure, biomimetic design of structural topology, and damage and fracture analyses of composite structures. The research in addition to using existing software also develops its own codes for state-of-the global and local optimization, surrogate and meta-modeling, nonlinear finite element analysis and reliability analysis and optimization. Experimental validation of results is done using the structural testing lab facilities.

Facilities

Wind and Water Tunnels
  • Low-speed wind tunnel ( upto Reynolds number of 5 million)
  • High-speed wind tunnel ( upto Mach 4)
  • Water Tunnel (upto Reynolds number of 300 thousand)
Computational Facilities
  • 14 processor SGI Altix cluster
  • 28 processor Beowulf cluster
Structural Facilities
  • Instron Universal Testing Machines from 100 kN to 1000 KN capacity
  • ARAMIS full field dynamic deformation and strain measurement system

Laboratories


  • Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
  • Fluids Laboratory
  • Aeropsace Model Shop
  • Structural Mechanics Laboratory