Earl H. Dowell, Chair, William Holland Hall Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Chair, William Holland Hall Professor, Dean Emeritus of Energy Initiative

Professor Dowell's principal teaching interest and research activity is in the field of aeroelasticity - which is the study of the dynamic interaction between an aerodynamic flow and an elastic structure, such as aircraft wings in high speed flight, long span bridges and tall buildings responding to wind loadings, or airflow through the mouth and lungs. Dr. Dowell has also done research in acoustics, nonlinear dynamics, structural dynamics, and unsteady aerodynamics.

Professor Dowell's major research accomplishments include the first definitive research monograph on the aeroelasticity of plates and shells, the first derivation and solution of the nonlinear equations of motion for a helicopter rotor blade (the Hodges-Dowell equations), and work with Professor Kenneth Hall and several graduate students and post-doctoral fellows on reducing the dimensions of mathematical models for very complex high-dimensional fluid/structural systems. Professor Dowell teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on dynamics and aeroelasticity.

Here are six short videos showing experimental aeroelastic models undergoing limit cycle oscillations in the Duke wind tunnel.

1. An airfoil with a nonlinear freeplay in the connection from the main airfoil to the trailing edge control surface.
2. A delta wing with a strong structural nonlinearity as a result of tension in the mid-plane of the plate-like wing induced by bending of the wing out of its initially undeformed plane.
3. A very high aspect ratio wing that behaves as a beam with double bending (both transverse to and in-line with the aerodynamic flow field) and twisting. A nonlinear coupling among double bending and twisting occurs. Also the aerodynamic flow field experiences separation due to the large motions involved.
4. A delta wing with an external store, flutter and limit cycle oscillations.
5. LCO and Flutter of WingStore model
6. Flapping Flag Flutter

Contact Info:

Office Location:	185 Hudson Hall
Office Phone:	(919) 660-5321
Email Address:

Teaching (Spring 2024):

• EGR 244L.002, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Teer 203, TuTh 10:05 AM-11:20 AM

• EGR 244L.02L, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Hudson 149, Th 11:45 AM-01:00 PM

• EGR 244L.04L, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Hudson 149, Th 01:25 PM-02:40 PM

• EGR 244L.06L, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Hudson 149, F 11:45 AM-01:00 PM

• EGR 244L.08L, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Hudson 149, F 03:05 PM-04:20 PM

• EGR 244L.10L, DYNAMICS Synopsis

  Hudson 149, F 04:40 PM-05:55 PM

• ME 775.01, AEROELASTICITY Synopsis

  SEE INSTRU, TuTh 10:05 AM-11:20 AM

Education:

D.Sc.	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1964
MS	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1964
PhD	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1964
Sc.M.	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1961
B.S.	University of Illinois	1959

Specialties:

Technology Transfer
Aerodynamics
Chaos, Dynamics
Policy, Science and Engineering
Acoustics
Aerospace
Aeroelasticity
Nonlinear Systems

Research Interests:

Broad field of aeroelasticity, acoustics, nonlinear dynamics, structural dynamics, and unsteady aerodynamics.

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

1. Dowell, E, Reduced-order modeling: a personal journey, Nonlinear Dynamics, vol. 111 no. 11 (June, 2023), pp. 9699-9720 [doi]  [abs]
2. Wayhs-Lopes, LD; Dowell, EH; Bueno, DD, A new look at the Equivalent Linearization Technique to predict LCO in aeroelastic systems with discrete nonlinearities, Journal of Fluids and Structures, vol. 119 (May, 2023) [doi]  [abs]
3. Cheng, Z; Lien, FS; Dowell, EH; Yee, E, Triggering of galloping in structures at low Reynolds numbers, Journal of Fluids and Structures, vol. 118 (April, 2023) [doi]  [abs]
4. Li, C; Pan, T; Yan, Z; Zheng, M; Li, Q; Dowell, EH, Aerodynamic Characteristics of Morphing Supersonic Cascade Under Low-Upstream-Mach-Number Condition, Aiaa Journal, vol. 61 no. 4 (April, 2023), pp. 1708-1719 [doi]  [abs]
5. Latif, U; Dowell, EH; Uddin, E; Yamin Younis, M, Parametric aerodynamic and aeroelastic study of a deformable flag-based energy harvester for powering low energy devices, Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 280 (March, 2023) [doi]  [abs]