The research objective of this award is to create a new system design paradigm, referred to as resilience-driven system design, which enables concurrent developments of reliable system functions and accurate prognosis of function failures of complex engineered systems under uncertainty. Resilience implies the ability to sense and withstand adverse events, and to recover from the effects of the adverse events. This research will quantify engineering resilience with a rigorous mathematical formula, develop new methods for predictive resilience analysis, and further create a new design paradigm that offers a unique framework to consider prognosis of system failures and failure mitigation/recovery activities in the early system design stage. The research findings will be validated and demonstrated using benchmarking design problems, as well as practical design applications addressing the critical demands in aviation systems and sustainable energy systems based on the research collaborations with two leading industry partners.
If successful, this research will lead to a design paradigm shift from conventional design for reliability to design for resilience by developing new design theory and tools. The research results will promote the understanding on preventing system failures through designing resilience into engineered systems. The new system design paradigm will likely stimulate growth in several high technology industries such as the multi-billion dollar green energy generation, general aviation, automobile, and more which suffer from catastrophic system failures and high maintenance costs at the post system design stages. This research will also offers unique research and educational experiences for researchers across the fields of engineering design, health monitoring and failure prognosis, and will train students in an interdisciplinary learning environment. A wide range of dissemination and outreach programs will be accomplished, with emphasis on promoting data sharing, attracting students to engineering career and research opportunities, and participation from women and underrepresented groups.
