Department of Mechanical Engineering

Steve Southward


Steve Southward



Associate Professor

112K Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
434-766-6794
434-791-3279-FAX

scsouth@vt.edu



Education Research
Teaching
Experience
Honors
Publications


Education

Ph.D. Michigan State University 1990
M.S. Michigan State University 1986
B.S. Michigan State University 1983

 

Research

For more information, please go to the Performance Engineering Research Lab web page.

  • Adaptive Tuning of Vehicle Suspensions
  • Non-Invasive Vehicle Diagnostics
  • Active Noise and Vibration Control for Vehicles
  • Controlled or Designed Emergence in Self-Organizing Dynamic Systems
  • Adaptive Processes & Filtering and Control
  • Non-Linear Dynamics and Non-Linear Controls


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Teaching Activities

ME 5505 : ADVANCED CONTROL ENGINEERING

Unification of the analysis and design techniques of a broad range of dynamic systems through the use of the tools of modern control. Builds upon the background of classical control topics including Nyguist, Bode, and root locus. Emphasis upon developing the tools of state-space control theory and applying these tools to effect the design of controllers for linear dynamic systems.

 

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Experience

Associate Professor Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA		 Nov. 2003 -
Present

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Patents

  • Aircraft vehicular propulsion system monitoring device and method , US Patent 20040024499A1 , 2004-02-05

  • No-jerk semi-active skyhook control method and apparatus , US Patent 6115658 , 2000-09-05

  • End stop control method , US Patent 6049746 , 2000-04-11

  • Active structural control system and method including active vibration absorbers (AVAS) , US Patent 6002778 , 1999-12-14

  • Frequency-focused actuators for active vibrational energy control systems , US Patent 5754662, 1998-05-19

  • Reduction of computational burden of adaptively updating control filter(s) in active systems , US Patent 5745580 , 1998-04-28

  • Frequency selective active adaptive control system , US Patent 5710822 , 1998-01-20

  • Active control of noise and vibration , US Patent 5627896 , 1997-05-06

  • Active noise and vibration cancellation system , US Patent 5619581 , 1997-04-08

  • Active mounts for aircraft engines , US Patent 5551650 , 1996-09-03

  • Broadband noise and vibration reduction , US Patent 5526292 , 1996-06-11

  • Process and apparatus for providing an analog waveform synchronized with an input signal , US Patent 5487027 , 1996-01-23


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Publications

  • Song, X., Ahmadian, M., and Southward, S. C., "Modeling Magneto-Rheological Vehicle Seat Suspensions for Adaptive Control Implementation," J. of Vib. & Acoustics, 2004

  • Song, X., Ahmadian, M., and Southward, S. C., "Modeling Magneto-Rheological Dampers with Application of Non-Parametric Approach," J. of Vib. & Acoustics, 2004

  • Song, X., Ahmadian, M., and Southward, S. C., "A Numerical Study of Adaptive Magneto-Rheological Semiactive Suspension Systems for Seat Suspension," IEEE J. of Control , 2003

  • Song, X., Ahmadian, M., and Southward, S. C., "An Adaptive Semiactive Control Algorithm for Vehicle Suspension Systems," J. of Vib. & Acoustics , 2003

  • Song, X., Ahmadian, M., and Southward, S. C., "Eliminating the Unwanted Dynamics from the Controllable Suspensions for Vehicle Applications," submitted to J. of Vib. & Acoustics , 2003

  • Tran, C. M., and Southward, S. C., "A Sensor Placement Strategy for the Hybrid Adaptive Feedforward Observer," submitted to Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control , 2003

  • Ahmadian, M., Song, X., and Southward, S.C., "No-Jerk Skyhook Control Methods for Semiactive Suspension," ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics , 126 , No. 4, pp. 580-584, October, 2004

  • Tran, C. M., and Southward, S. C., "Stability and Convergence of a Hybrid Adaptive Feedforward Observer," Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics , 26 , No. 1, pp. 189-192, January, 2003

  • Tran, C. M., and Southward, S. C., "A Virtual Sensing Method for Tonal ANVC Systems," Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control , 124 , No. 1, pp. 35-40, March, 2002

  • Rossetti, D. J., Jolly, M. R., and Southward, S. C., "Control Effort Weighting in Feedforward Adaptive Control Systems," J. Acoustical Society of America 99 (5), p. 2955-2964, May, 1996


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