Henri P. Gavin

Image of Henri P. Gavin

Associate Professor and Bass Fellow

Henri Gavin, W. H. Gardner Jr. Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Henri Gavin received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Princeton University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. After a postdoctoral year at Michigan as a research fellow, he joined the Duke faculty as an assistant professor of civil engineering in 1995.

Dr. Gavin's research interests are in the areas of structural dynamics, structural control, and related applications of controllable materials, especially the use of electrorheological and magnetorheological dampers for structural vibration suppression. This work encompasses rheology, non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, visco-elasticity, non-linear structural dynamics, and multivariable control. His research is sponsored primarily by NSF (Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Program), the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the North Carolina Space Grant Consortium. His experimental facilities include a high capacity load frame and a high-fidelity seismic simulator. He also has strong professional interests in structural behavior and structural integrity assessment techniques involving non-destructive evaluation.

His strong experimental background includes the management of the structural engineering and geotechnical centrifuge laboratory at Princeton. He also has experience as a design engineer with Combustion Engineering.

The results of Dr. Gavin's research have been reported in international journals, conferences and workshops on earthquake engineering, structural control, and smart structures and high performance materials.

Dr. Gavin is the director of the Center for Applied Control and the Structural Dynamics and Seismic Response Control Laboratory

Contact Information:
  • Office Location: 162 Hudson Eng Ctr
  • Office Phone: (919) 660-5201
  • Email Address: Email address for Henri P. Gavin
Education:

PhDUniversity of Michigan1994
MSUniversity of Michigan1988
BSPrinceton University1986

Research Interests:

Structural dynamics, structural control, and related applications of controllable materials, especially the use of electrorheological and magnetorheological dampers for structural vibration suppression. This work encompasses rheology, non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, visco-elasticity, non-linear structural dynamics, and multivariable control.

Specialties:

Earthquake Engineering, adaptive structures
Structural Engineering
Alternative Energy
Adaptive Structures
Vibration
Nonlinear Dynamics

Representative Publications: (More Publications)
    • Narasimhan, S. and Nagarajaiah, S. and Johnson, E.A. and Gavin, H.P., Smart base-isolated benchmark building. Part I: Problem definition, Structural Control and Health Monitoring, vol 13 no. 2-3 (2006), pp. 573 - 588 [99] [abs].
    • Aldemir, U. and Gavin, H.P., Optimal semiactive control of structures with isolated base, International Applied Mechanics, vol 42 no. 2 (2006), pp. 235 - 240 [s10778-006-0082-3] [abs].
    • Alhan, Cenk and Gavin, Henri P. and Aldemir, Unal, Optimal control: Basis for performance comparison of passive and semiactive isolation systems, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, vol 132 no. 7 (2006), pp. 705 - 713 [(ASCE)0733-9399(2006)132:7(705)] [abs].
    • Gavin, Henri P. and Alhan, Cenk, Guidelines for low-transmissibility semi-active vibration isolation, Smart Materials and Structures, vol 14 no. 2 (2005), pp. 297 - 306 [001] [abs].
    • Alhan, Cenk and Gavin, Henri P., Reliability of base isolation for the protection of critical equipment from earthquake hazards, Engineering Structures, vol 27 no. 9 (2005), pp. 1435 - 1449 [007] [abs].
Honors and Awards
  • Klien Family Distinguished Teaching Award, 2006
  • ASCE Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Prize, 2005
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2002
  • National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers in Engineering, participant 1998
  • Packard Foundation Grant, Finalist 1997
  • NSF CAREER Award 1996
  • Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities 1996
  • Bailey, Steele & Mildred Tuition Fellowship, The University of Michigan 1991
  • Elected to associate membership of Sigma Xi, Princeton University 1986
Professional and Service Activities
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Engineering Mechanics (2004-present)
  • Director of Undergraduate Studies (2003-2006)
  • Member, Web-based Homework Committee (2002-present)
  • Secretary, Pratt School of Engineering Faculty Council (2001-2002)
  • Member, Pratt School of Engineering Faculty Council (2000-2002)
  • Member, Pratt School of Engineering Infrastructure Working Group (1999-2000)
  • Member, Pratt School of Engineering Building Committee (1999-present)
  • Consultant, Free Electron Laser Laboratory Vibration Study (1999)
  • Member, Fundamentals of Engineering Exam review lecture series (1997-present)
  • Chair, CEE Department Faculty Core-Course Committee (2002-present)
  • Chair, CEE Department Faculty Awards Committee (2001-present)
  • Member, CEE Department Faculty Search Committee (2000-2001)
  • Member, CEE Department Undergraduate Curriculum Review Committee (1997-1998)
  • Member, CEE Department Faculty Search Committee (1998-1999)
  • Undergraduate Research Faculty Advisor to Seven Undergraduates (1996-present)
  • Faculty undergraduate academic advisor (1996-present)
  • Faculty Secretary, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering (1995-1997)
  • Secretary, ASCE Committee on Structural Control (2002-present)
  • Member, ASCE Committee on Structural Control (1999-present)
  • Co-coordinator, Benchmark Problem on Seismic Isolation (1999-present)
  • Program Committee, SPIE, Smart Systems for Bridges, Structures, and Highways (1998-present)
  • Member, ASCE Engineering Mechanics Committee on Dynamics (1996-present)
  • Member, ASCE Engineering Mechanics Committee on Experimental Analysis and
  • Instrumentation (1995-present)
  • Member, American Society of Civil Engineers, Structural Engineering Institute
  • Member, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
  • Member, Sigma XI
  • Member, Society for Experimental Mechanics
  • Member, Structural Engineering Institute
  • Reviewer for Advances in Structural Engineering, AIAA Journal, Army Research Office, ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE Journal of Structural Engineering, ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, American Control Conference, Civilian Research and Development Foundation, Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Computers and Structures, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Earthquake Spectra, Experimental Mechanics, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, International Journal of Solids and Structures, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, Journal of Smart Structures and Materials, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, National Science Foundation, Prentice-Hall, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, Structural Engineering and Mechanics, U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF)