CENTER FOR NONLINEAR DYNAMICS AND CONTROL
CENDAC is distinguished by its strong interdisciplinary teams, close collaboration with sponsors, and expertise in nonlinear dynamic systems theory and applications.
Founded in 2003 by Mechanical Engineering professor and then-department chair C. Nataraj, PhD, the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control (CENDAC) at °®°®Ö±²¥ has one of the highest concentrations of controls-oriented faculty in the region. Its inclusive environment includes doctorate, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as faculty from different engineering disciplines who collaborate on a broad range of applications in the areas of:
- Nonlinear System Control
- Nonlinear System Modeling and Identification
- Nonlinear System Analysis and Optimization
- Nonlinear System Prognostics & Diagnostics
CENDAC BY THE NUMBERS
9
Faculty Researchers
5
LABORATORIES
40+
STUDENT RESEARCHERS
7
CURRENT PROJECTS
~14
INDUSTRY PARTNERS (PAST & PRESENT)
OUR RESEARCH
Primary research areas and facilities for the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control include:
Lead: Dr. Sergey Nersesov
Large-scale systems; multi-agent systems; hierarchical nonlinear switching control; hybrid and impulsive control for nonlinear systems; thermodynamic modeling and control of mechanical and aerospace systems
Current project: Robust Control of Networks of Heterogeneous Nonholonomic Vehicles in Uncertain Environments (NSF)
Lead: Dr. James Peyton-Jones
Powertrain and emissions control; stochastic knock detection, simulation and control; cyclic and stochastic analysis; ionization probes; exhaust gas smart sensors; air/fuel ratio control/ catalyst modeling and identification and control
Lead: Dr. C. Nataraj
Nonlinear dynamical system theory; magnetic bearings; rotor dynamics; gear dynamics; unmanned systems; robot dynamics; smart valves; design optimization; nonlinear frequency response analysis; biomedical systems; social systems; battery and fuel cell systems. More
Lead: Dr. Chengyu Li
Computational fluid dynamics; biomimetic and bioinspired flows; biomedical flows; flow-structure interaction; reduced order modeling; high-performance computing.
Current project: Odor-Guided Flapping Flight: Novel Fluid Dynamic Mechanisms of Insect Navigation (NSF CAREER)
Lead: Dr. Hashem Ashrafiuon
Automatic control, image processing, and data fusion techniques for the development of heterogeneous autonomous vehicles. More.
Lead: Dr. Garrett Clayton
Vision-based measurement; Instrumentation for modeling and control; unmanned vehicles; novel vision sensor.
Lead: Dr. Seri Park
Traffic safety and operation; driver behavior analysis; traffic modeling; sensor technology; sustainable infrastructure.
Current projects:
Practices for Integrated Flood Prediction and Response Systems, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Synthesis Topic 51-10 (Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, National Research Council)
Assessing Roadway Flood Inundation Factors (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation)
Understanding Cognitive Control of Driving Behavior with functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (°®°®Ö±²¥ Small Research Grant Pilot Program)
Lead: Dr. Hashem Ashrafiuon Coordinated multi-agent control; computationally efficient and integrated obstacle avoidance, trajectory planning, and trajectory tracking subject to underactuated system constraints; ship to ship control; high sea state simulation. More.