Dr. Weidong Zhu

ProfessorW_Zhu_Primary

Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250

Phone: (410) 455-3394
Office: ENGR225B
Email:  wzhu@umbc.edu

Education

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, 1994
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Arizona State University, 1988
Dual B.S., Mechanical Engineering and Computational Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1986

Employment History

2007 – present Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC
2004-2007 Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC
1999-2004 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, UMBC
1997-1999 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of North Dakota
1996 Visiting Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan
1995 Visiting Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
1994-1997 Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Chinese university of Hong Kong
1994-1994 University of California at Berkeley, Visiting Postdoctoral Research Engineer

Honors and Awards

2010 Keynote Speaker, 2nd International Conference on Vibro-Impact Systems
2010 Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
2009 The Daily Record’s Maryland Innovator of the Year Award
2009 – 2012 Visiting ChangJiang Scholar Chair Professor in General Mechanics, Ministry of Education in China
2007 – present Associate Edtor, ASME Journal of Vibrations and Acoustics
2007 American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Fellowship Award
2006 Keynote Speaker, 2006 Mechanics of Slender Structures Conference
2006 Bayer Teaching Excellence Award, International Symposium on Multi-/Inter-Disciplinary Engineering
2005-2008 Guest Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2004 CAREER Award, National Science Foundation

Research Interest

My research spans the fields of dynamics, vibration, control, applied mechanics, structural health monitoring, and wind energy, and integrates analytical development, numerical simulation, experimental validation, and industrial application. Much of the current research can be divided into three areas: 1) vibration and stability of distributed structural systems; 2) finite element modeling, modal testing, model updating, and structural damage detection; and 3) infinitely variable transmission and wind energy. In the first area, we have developed new methodologies for analyzing and controlling the vibration of linear and nonlinear, time-invariant and time-varying, distributed-parameter systems. In the second area, we have addressed some major challenges in model-based damage detection: accurate modeling of structures and inverse analysis for damage detection. In the third area, we are developing novel all-geared infinitely variable transmission and variable electromotive-force generators.

My laboratories, the Dynamic Systems and Vibrations Laboratory in Room 236 of the Engineering Building and the Laser Vibrometry Laboratory in Room 233I of the Engineering building, have a state-of-the-art vibration measurement and analysis facility, and various specialized test stands have been developed in-house for experimental validation purposes. Our research has been supported by the federal and state government as well as industry. In addition to training graduate and undergraduate students, the laboratory has provided outreach programs to K-12 students in the Baltimore region.

Classes Taught at UMBC

ENES221 Dynamics
ENME360 Vibrations
ENME605 Advanced Control Systems
ENME662 Linear Vibrations
ENME664 Advanced Dynamics
ENME812V Nonlinear Vibrations

Selected Publications

Zhu, W.D., & Wu, K. (in press). Dynamic stability of a class of second-order distributed structural systems with sinusoidally varying velocities, ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics.

Zhu, W.D., Song, X.K., & Zheng, N.A. (2011). Dynamic stability of a translating string with a sinusoidally varying velocity,” ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, 78, 061021.

Zhu, W.D., Ren, H., & Xiao, C. (2011). A nonlinear model of a slack cable with bending stiffness and moving ends with application to elevator traveling and compensation cables, ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 78, 041017.

He, K., & Zhu, W.D. (2011). Finite element modeling of structures with L-shaped beams and bolted joints. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 133, 011010.

Xu, G.Y., & Zhu, W.D. (2010). Nonlinear and time-varying dynamics of high-dimensional models of a translating tensioned beam with a stationary load subsystem, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 132, 061012.

He, K., & Zhu, W.D. (2009). Modeling of fillets in thin-walled beams using shell/plate and beam finite elements. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 131, 051002.

Zhu, W.D. & Zheng, N.A. (2008). Exact response of a translating string with arbitrarily varying length under general excitation. ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, 75, 031003.

Xu, G.Y. , Zhu, W.D., and Emory, B.H. (2007). Experimental and numerical investigation of structural damage detection using changes in natural frequencies. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics,129, 686-700.

Zhu, W.D., Zheng, N.A., & Wong, C.N. (2007). A stochastic model for the random impact series method in modal testing, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 129, 265-275.

Zhu, W.D., & Chen, Y. (2006). Theoretical and experimental investigation of elevator cable dynamics and  control. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 128, 66-78.

Zhu, W.D., Ni, J., & Huang, J. (2001). Active control of translating media with arbitrarily varying length. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 123, 347-358.

Zhu, W.D., & Ni, J. (2000). Energetics and stability of translating media with an arbitrarily varying length. ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 122, 295-304.

Zhu, W.D., Guo, B.Z., Mote, Jr.,C.D. (2000). Stabilization of a translating tensioned beam through a  pointwise control force. ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, 122, 322-333.