Project Grant 2545812

The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded Rice University $330,112 on September 1, 2026, to develop wave-based analytical and experimental methods for investigating nonlinear dynamic behavior in jointed structures used in advanced manufacturing, buildings, bridges, vehicles, and aerospace systems.

The research will construct efficient wave-based models capable of capturing complex nonlinear response to yield qualitative and quantitative design information supporting engineering objectives including high stiffness, load capacity, damping sufficiency, and dynamic response. The analytical methods will advance asymptotic approaches applied to nonlinear continuous structures, while experimental methods will establish high-fidelity wave-scattering approaches for jointed systems—transforming engineers' ability to analyze and optimize large three-dimensional frames quickly and accurately while accounting for nonlinear dynamic effects. The research will also create a fundamentally new approach for experimentally interrogating amplitude- and frequency-dependent dynamic behavior of mechanical joints through wave scattering. Outreach activities at Rice University and the University of Vermont will engage high school students in research tasks. The investigators will coordinate research tasks with personnel from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to ensure real-world applicability of findings.

The award funds work performed in Houston, Texas, with a period of performance through August 31, 2029. This is a Project Grant under the Engineering assistance program (CFDA 47.041).