Events Calendar

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE SEMINAR

PRESENTER: Dr. Christine Gilbert, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 

Dr. Gilbert is an associate professor in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dr. Gilbert received her BS, MS and PhD from the University of Maryland in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to her appointment at Virginia Tech, Dr. Gilbert has worked at the U.S. Naval Academy (assistant research professor, 2012 to 2014) and the University of New Orleans (tenure track assistant professor, 2014 to 2016). Dr Gilbert has received both the ONR Young Investigator Award (YIP, 2015) and the NSF CAREER award (2020). She is an active member of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics.

PRESENTATION: Flapping to the Surface: Highly Flexible Plates Near a Free Surface

Passive reconfiguration of flexible structures readily occurs in biological structures through fluids such as air and water. Few studies exist involving the understanding of reconfiguration near a free surface, the interface between air and water. Animals such as fish and manta rays actively control the shape of their fins to swim. Taking inspiration from these biological movements, we can study active reconfiguration to the flexible structures near a free surface. In this talk, results will be presented on the passive reconfiguration of flexible plates vertically flapping near a free surface calm water. A discussion of fluidic flexible matrix composites (F2MC) will be presented to provide active reconfiguration of the plates. The prototype of a panel manufactured from F2MC tubes will be shown and evaluated under static conditions. Finally, preliminary results from flapping motions in quiescent water with active shape change will be presented. Future directions for the use of forward speed in the new VT Advanced Towing Tank and Vertical Planar Motion Facility on a manta ray-shaped model will also be discussed. The technical work from this talk is funded by the National Science Foundation and the new facility was funded by the Office of Naval Research.

FACULTY HOST: Dr. Deema Totah, Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa