These are some academic papers I've written for school, all for Aerospace Engineering courses. Although none of these are genuine research, nor were any published in journals, I have encountered an occasional proceedings or business publication that cites the web version of these papers.

Searching for Lyapunov Functions using Genetic Progamming (PDF Version §)

Here, I present genetic programming as a possible general method for finding Lyapunov functions. (Lyapunov functions are functions by which one can prove the stability of a nonlinear dynamic system.) This paper describes genetic programming, and how it can be used to find Lyapunov functions. This paper demonstrates that genetic programming is at least worth a better look. I now realize that there is a grave oversight in this method as I've implemented it, although the fix is obvious. [AOE 5984, Nonlinear Control, Virginia Tech]

Self-Tuning Control with Control Allocation (PDF Version †)

This investigates adaptive control: namely self-tuning control which uses parameter identification to determine control effectiveness for use in control allocation. This project is one of the main reasons I decided to abandon my research on on-line parameter identification. After doing this work, I no longer think on-line parameter identification is that important. [ECE 6414, Adaptive Control, Virginia Tech]

A Discussion of Methods of Real-Time Airplane Flight Simulation (PDF Version ‡, slightly modified from what I turned in)

This what the scholarly paper which was a part of my Master's Degree requirements. There are some annoying errors in it, but it's mostly quite detailed and accurate. It describes mathematics and computer implementation of flight simulation.

Composite V-22 Blade Design

Documents my unsuccessful attempt to design a V-22 rotor blade whose shape adapts to the flight condition (hover or propeller) using anisotropic effects of fiber-reinforced composites. Because rotor speed, and thus the centrifugal force, is much higher in hover mode, I wanted to use the extra force to twist the blade into an optimal shape. [Aerospace 597I: Behavior of Advanced Structures, Penn State]

Helicopter Dynamic Stability

In this paper, I do an analysis of helicopter dynamic modes. I am a little amazed that I managed this one, and I think my professor was, too. There's some really advanced stuff in there. As for the results, I doubt their accuracy. They look quasi-reasonable, but I suspect there was a mistake lurking in my code. (Incidentally, although I had to have put at least 30 hours into this project, I whistled through the whole thing. Dynamics just interests me.) [Aerospace 504: V/STOL Aerodynamics, Penn State]

Boundaray Layers

A brief explanation of how boundary layers can really simplify the complicated incompressible Navier-Stokes equations of fluid dynamics. [Aerospace 508: Fundamentals of Fluid Dynamics, Penn State]

The Hodograph Transformation

I describe the hodograph transformation, which is an interesting analytical technique whereby certain nonlinear equations in aerodynamics can be transformed into linear equations. [Aerospace 597D: Topics in Applied Aerodynamics, Penn State]

Project Asterius: Mission to Europa

Here is a report I wrote with my spacecraft design team: Amy Briggs, Becky Carver, Patrick Morinelli, Brian Sarsfield, and Mark Newey. It descibes our design for a Europa Lander. We all learned a lot, and had a lot fun, but our design methodology was utterly terrible. I can't bring myself to read the report any more. [Aerospace 402B: Spacecraft Design, Penn State]