Table of Contents

Heuristics & Findings

intelliMat

Cross-disciplinary
Integration of 5 different disciplines & technologies

• Control
• Optimisation
• Sensor/Actuator technology
• Structural engineering
• High-performance computing

Structural Control

Mechanical controls can be applied to artificial structures through the following means:

• Passive control: by materials & devices without external energy sources
• Active control: with external energy sources
• Semi-active control: a mixture of both paiive & active controls
• Composite or Hybrid control: any combination of all of the above

Active control

• Real-time sensing of disturbances, structural responses
• Real-time actuating to attain desired structural response

Types of control

• Shape control: static, spatially variant
• Vibration control: dynamic, temporally variant
• Hybrid control: shape + vibration
• Optimal control: hybrid + optimization

Theoretical foundations

• Control theory
• Theory of structures
• Communications theory
• Systems analysis
• Optimization theory

Control mechanisms

Embedded, laminated or coated, attached, built-in, fabricated, installed:

• Solid state actuators (control devices):

1. Piezoelectric:

• Theory and Applications of Piezo Actuators and PZT NanoPositioning Systems
• Piezo education

1. SMA (shape memory alloys)

• Magnetostrictives - (MR)
• Electrorheological fluids - (ER)
• Other transducers

Research

• Membranes, shells & plates
• Adaptive Control Systems
• Adaptive optics
• Interferometry
• Miniaturization: MEMS
• Damage detection & reduction
• Intelligence & interactivity
• Materials science & engineering

Applications

• Civil infrastructures
• Biomechanics
• Aerospace structures
• Automotive
• Home appliances
• Education: example
• The Future