Dr. Jagannatha Rao

Cullen Associate Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Distance Learning

Office Location N218 Engineering Building 1

Phone 713-743-4535

Fax 713-743-4503

Email rao [at] uh.edu

Education

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, December 1989; Dissertation: "Higher Level Modeling Formulations in Optimal Design"; Focus: System design, optimization methods, structures, and optimal control.

Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, India, B. Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) in Mechanical Engineering, May 1985

Professional Experience

University of Houston, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Associate Professor, September 1996 – Present; Assistant Professor, September 1990 – August 1996; Teaching graduate courses in optimization methods and applications; undergraduate courses in mechanical system design including kinematics, dynamics, and mechanisms. Research focus: Multi-level modeling and optimization of mechanical systems, duality principles, nonsmooth optimization, game-theoretic modeling, and parametric nonlinear programming.

NASA Langley, ICASE - Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering, Visiting Scientist, June 1995; Research on algorithms for multilevel optimization; developed new applications in structural design and game-theoretic models.

Sandvik Rock Tools, Inc., Houston, Consultant, January – June 1991; Developed optimization models for percussion hammer-drills; led to a three-year research contract.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Visiting Assistant Professor, September 1989 – June 1990; Taught a graduate course in Design Optimization; researched multilevel decomposition methods in design, including automotive powertrain systems.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate Research Assistant, September 1985 – August 1989; Investigated theoretical and computational problems in optimal design; developed a production system for global boundedness analysis.

General Motors Research Laboratories, Power Systems Research Department, Graduate Student Trainee, June – August 1988; Formulated and solved optimization models for powertrains in hybrid vehicles.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Teaching Assistant for AERO 565, January – May 1988; Incorporated numerical optimization procedures in structural optimization; supervised student projects.

Courses Taught

MECE 1331 – Computing for Mechanical Engineers: Introduction to problem-solving and structured programming applied to engineering problems using MATLAB and EXCEL. Offered both in-class and as an online version starting Spring 2010.

MECE 3360 – Experimental Methods: Introductory junior-level course in engineering experimentation.

MECE 3338 – Dynamics and Control of Mechanical Systems: A junior-level core course focusing on kinematics, dynamics, and mechanism design. Includes a semester-long design group project leading to prototype construction or detailed computer simulations of new mechanism designs.

MECE 4332 – Finite Element Based Mechanical Design: Senior-level core course in the design sequence.

MECE 5373 – Computer-Based Resolution of Open Problems: A novel senior-level elective focusing on optimal decision-making in a wide range of practical problems using a case-study approach.

MECE 5397 – Strength-Based Design: Senior-level elective introducing optimization methods as applied to structural systems.

MECE 5397 – Simulation-Based Design: A senior-level elective offered starting Spring 1996, focusing on building simulation and design models for practical mechanical systems using state-of-the-art modeling software (Mathematica and Working Model).

MECE 6379 – Computer Methods in Mechanical Design: A new version of an existing course focusing on applied optimization, including modeling and optimization of engineering systems. Emphasizes a semester-long design project and theoretical and algorithmic aspects of nonlinear programming.

MECE 7397 – Advanced Design Optimization: A new course focusing on design applications of duality principles and nonsmooth optimization, with a detailed treatment of mathematical optimization theory. The course is in the process of obtaining its own regular course number.

Research Interests

Mathematical Optimization Theory and Algorithms—Parametric nonlinear programming, multilevel algorithms, duality in mechanical design models, game theory

Engineering Applications

Numerical design optimization of mechanisms, machines and structures; optimum topology design of compliant and adaptive mechanisms; mathematical game solutions in cooperative decision-making frameworks

Selected Publications

Kowta, Ramakrishna, and J. R. Rao. “A Study of Duality-Based Models for the Optimal Topology Design of Compliant Mechanisms.” Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications. [In Progress]
Rao, J. R., Ramakrishna Kowta, and K. Badhrinath. “A Duality-Based Approach for the Topology Design of Vibration Support Structures.” International Journal of Numerical Methods in Engineering. [In Progress]
Masciarelli, Jim, and J. R. Rao. “A Study of NAND and SAND Formulations in the Multidisciplinary Design of a Launch Vehicle Upper Stage Vehicle.” AIAA Journal. [In Progress]
Jagannatha Rao and Ramakrishna Kowta. "Duality and Multilevel Models in the Optimal Design of Adaptive Structures and Mechanisms," AIAA 2005-2203. 46th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference. April 2005.
Jagannatha Rao, J. R., K. Badhrinath, R. Pakala, and F. Mistree. "A Study of Optimal Design Under Conflict Using Models of Multi-Player Games." Engineering Optimization, Vol. 28, pp. 63-94, 1997.
Pakala, R. and J. R. Jagannatha Rao. "A Study of Concurrent Decision-Making Protocols in the Design of a Metal Cutting Tool Using Monotonicity Arguments." Engineering Optimization, Vol. 28, pp. 63-94, 1997.
Muralidhar, R. and J. R. Jagannatha Rao. "New Models for Optimal Truss Topology in Limit Design Based on Unified Elastic/Plastic Analysis." Computational Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, Vol. 140, pp. 109-138, 1997.
Rao, JR Jagannatha, and R. Hebert. "A Study of Aggregation as a Modeling Tool in Optimal Design."
Chidambaram, Bala, and JR Jagannatha Rao. "Some Results on Constraint Activity and Parameter Sensitivity in Bilevel Models of Optimal Design."
Jagannatha Rao, J. R., R. Bradlaw, and Ramakrishna Kowta. "A Unified Characterization of Nonunique Response in Elastic/Perfectly-Plastic and Elastic/Locking Structures Using Constraint Qualifications." Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications (accepted).