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The Center for Aeromechanics Research conducts computational, analytical and experimental research in supersonic and hypersonic aerodynamics, high temperature gas dynamics, turbulence, combustion, laser diagnostics, aeroelasticity and structural dynamics, control of flexible structures, and flight structures. Research is sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Army Research Office, National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Texas Advanced Technology and Research Programs, and numerous sources in private industry. Funding from these sources provides support for 24 graduate students engaged in MS and PhD research programs, 5 undergraduate students, and 6 postdoctoral fellows. The Center's goal is to produce work of the highest quality which advances the state of engineering, meets the sponsors' needs, and is publishable in the most reputable national and international journals.
Current work in the Aeroelasticity Laboratory and the Structural Dynamics Laboratory involves structures for new aircraft and system identification and control techniques for large, flexible structures such as Space Station components. Computational work in fluid mechanics includes non-equilibrium flows downstream of shock waves in supersonic nozzles, adaptive algorithms for aircraft with turbulent flow, direct turbulence simulation and smart algorithms for parallel computations; and in structural dynamics includes development of adaptive and parallel algorithms, and modeling of flexible multibody systems. The supersonic wind tunnel facilities include a Mach 5 blowdown wind tunnel. Recent investigations involve control and reduction of fluctuating pressure loads, flow in forward facing and parallel cavities, and unsteady interactions of shock waves with turbulent boundary layers. In the Flowfield Imaging Lab, laser diagnostic techniques are applied to the study of turbulent combustion and compressible turbulence. Non-intrusive measurement techniques for gas temperature, velocity, and composition using absorption spectroscopy, Raman and Rayleigh scattering are being developed.
Prof. Philip L. Varghese
The University of Texas at Austin
The Dept. of Aerospace Engineering & Engineering Mechanics
WRW 201B, Mail Code: C0600
Telephone: 512-471-3110
FAX: 512-471-3788
E-mail: Philip Varghese
Center for Aeromechanics Research
WRW 220, Mail Code C0604
Austin, TX 78712-1085
Telephone: (512) 471-5962
FAX: (512) 471-3788