People > Affiliate Research & Education Team > Spanos

Dr. Pol Spanos Lewis B. Ryon Professor Rice University Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science 233 Mechanical Engr. Bldg. MS 321 PO Box 1892 Houston, Texas 77251-1892 Phone: 713.348.4909 Email: spanos@rice.edu

Education

PH.D., California Institute of Technology,1976
M.S., California Institute of Technology, 1974
Diploma, National Technical University, Greece, 1973

Research Interests

Signal Processing, Response Determination, and Safety Assessment for Vibrations and Dynamics Problems in Aerospace, Biomedical, Marine, Petroleum, Structural, and Seismic Engineering

Professor Spanos' research efforts focus on the dynamics and vibrations of structural and mechanical systems under a variety of loads. Systems exhibiting nonlinear behavior and/or exposed to risk inducing conditions receive particular attention. His group is also interested in fatigue and fracture issues of modern composite materials, and in signal processing algorithims for biomedical applications.

Professor Spanos develops primarily analytic and numerical methods that often require advanced scientific computation packages and supercomputers. The mathematical models used involve deterministic and stochastic differential/difference equations that are often incorporated in finite element and other numerical codes, and in many design procedures. Also, Monte Carlo random simulation approaches are developed/used along with advanced techniques for signal processing and safety assessment involving digital filters and wavelets transforms.

Solution techniques developed by Professor Spanos are applied to such themes as estimation of seismic spectra; flow-induced vibrations of offshore rigs, marine risers, and pipelines; certification of payloads in space shuttle/station missions; directional oil well drilling; vibration and aseismic protection of structures and equipment; wind loads simulation; and signal processing of electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms.

Selected Publications