Dr. Donatus Oguamanam
Areas of Academic Interest
Structural mechanics
Dynamics and vibration of structures
Intelligent structures
Computational methods
Continuum mechanics
Spotlight
Donatus Oguamanam has been asking a version of the same question his entire life: “How does it work, and why does it behave that way?”
These days, he partly directs that curiosity toward the design of intelligent structures – systems that can sense and respond to their environment. Take a bridge, for example, that can sense vibrations and then apply forces through an actuator to dampen the movement, or an aircraft wing that can change shape in response to the forces or stresses it encounters.
Oguamanam’s inquiring mind also seeks answers about energy harvesting – the conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy. Imagine a shoe that can convert the vibration from walking into electrical energy, which is then stored in a battery. Or a medical device powered by the body’s movement. Or street lights powered by car vibrations. “This is the future,” he says.
As leaders in that future, Oguamanam’s students are a priority. “My primary goal is to engage them. Engaged minds are active, questioning, problem-solving minds. That’s what engineering is all about.”
“My professors always inspired and motivated me. I want to do the same for my students.”
- Joubaneh, E.F., Barry, O.R., and Oguamanam, D.C.D. “Vibrations of Sandwich Beams With Tip Mass: Numerical and Experimental Investigations.” Composite Structures, vol. 210, 2019, pp. 628-640.
- Lin, D.C., and Oguamanam, D.C.D. “A Numerical Study of the Dynamics of Three-Mass System on Frictional Tracks.” Nonlinear Dynamics, vol. 94, no. 3, 2018, pp. 2047-2058.
- Barry, O., Long R., and Oguamanam, D.C.D. “Rational Damping Arrangement Design for Transmission Lines Vibrations: Analytical and Experimental Analysis,” ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, vol. 139, no. 5, 2017, 051012 (7 pages).
- Lin, D.C., and Oguamanam, D.C.D. “Targeted Energy Transfer Efficiency in a Low-dimensional Mechanical System With an Essentially Nonlinear Attachment.” Nonlinear Dynamics, vol. 82, no. 1-2, 2015, pp. 971-986.
- Barry, O., Zu, J.W., and Oguamanam, D.C.D. “Nonlinear Dynamics of Stockbridge Dampers.” ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, vol. 137, 2015, 061017 (7 pages).
- Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Member, Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME)
- Senior member, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
- Member, Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO)