David Chelidze

Professor David Chelidze is a faculty member in the Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering department at the University of Rhode Island. His research spans nonlinear vibrations, structural health monitoring, and fatigue evolution in engineered systems. He is the director of the Nonlinear Dynamics Laboratory, where he explores topics like modal testing, dynamical systems theory, and damage prognosis.

Education:

• Ph.D., Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, 2000
• M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 1995
• Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Georgian Technical University, 1992

Research Interests focus on nonlinear dynamics, particularly vibration-based structural health monitoring, smooth mode decomposition for modal analysis, and phase space warping for fatigue damage detection. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in materials science, offshore engineering, and biomedical diagnostics.

Publication Trends emphasize fatigue life estimation under variable loading, nonlinear model reduction techniques, and vortex-induced vibration analysis. Key subfields include 3D printing structural integrity, biomechanical fatigue monitoring, and hydrodynamic stability of flexible cylinders.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF Career Award, 2009
• U.S. Patent: General Method for Tracking Hidden Damage in Machinery Components (with Cusumano J, Chatterjee A), 2003

Grants include projects funded by the RI Commerce Corporation (2022) and collaborative efforts with the University of Connecticut/Office of Naval Research (2021). His lab also engages in digital twinning and physics-informed reduced-order modeling.

Laboratory: The Nonlinear Dynamics Laboratory at URI develops tools for damage diagnosis in engineered, geophysical, and biological systems. The lab contributes to software like Smooth Mode Decomposition and Geometry-informed Phase Space Warping, with applications in fatigue monitoring and nonlinear system identification.