It is proposed to conduct a research program focusing on the inelastic behavior of smart materials as they apply to a variety of structural systems such as buildings and bridges which are an integral part of the infrastructure of the nation. Particular attention would be given to loads which are induced by traffic, earthquakes, and extreme winds. Powerful computational models would be supplemented with data which are available from various experimental programs. The inelastic behavior of the infrastructure systems will be captured by considering auxiliary linear systems which possess appropriate natural frequencies of vibration, and coefficients of damping (energy dissipation). In this regard, modern techniques which allow a joint representation of signals both in the time and frequency domains will be used to capture the prevailing physical attributes of the structural responses.
The broader impact of the proposed research program will be quite significant as the principal investigator will continue to be a catalyst of/participant in diversity enhancing initiatives focusing on K to 12 institutions, and HBU (Historical Black Universities). In this regard the findings of the proposed research would be beneficial to minimizing, by improved design procedures, the risk of the society from natural disasters associated with earthquakes and hurricanes. Furthermore, some of the expected new research findings will be shared with K to 12 and undergraduate students towards creating interest in these dynamic communities for infrastructure related societal challenges, and the available technological assets for mitigating them.
