Research Interests
Our group works in the broad area of dynamic systems analysis, modeling, measurement, and control with particular emphasis on the mitigation of losses induced by extreme environmental loads.
Over the years this research has addressed the mechanics and applications of fluids with controllable rheology, the modeling and optimal control of systems with nonlinear inequality constraints, high order stochastic response surface modeling, experimental stress analysis, shake table testing, in-situ vibration monitoring, and seismic sensor networks.
Our current research is focused on the modeling and control of constrained systems (terresterial and airborne vehicles and rolling isolation systems) analytical, numerical, and experimental models for visco-elastic rolling resistance; the statistical modeling of non-stationary wind fields for wind energy application; and the reconstruction of nonlinear structural behavior from sparse transient response measurements.
This work has been funded primarily through the National Science Foundation, including a Career award in 1996, a large-scale testing program in collaboration with BRI and NIED in Japan, a project on developing automated web-based interfaces for physical and numerical simulations, the analysis and design of rolling isolation systems, and work related to the seismic response of the base-isolated Christchurch Women's Hospital (New Zealand). Dr. Gavin is the recipient of research, service, and teaching awards from the ASCE, ASEE, NZSEE, Tribhuvan University (Nepal), and Duke University.