University of Colorado at Boulder Home A to Z Map  

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Thomas L. Geers

Professor Emeritus
(303) 492-6355
Geers@spot.colorado.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. Applied Mechanics, MIT
  • M.S. Mechanical Engineering, MIT
  • B.S. Physics, MIT

Research Interests

  • Structural Acoustics
  • Structural Dynamics
  • Bubble Dynamics
  • Computational Dynamics

My research in structural acoustics has focused on transient fluid-structure interaction, with applications to the shock-response analysis of naval structures.  Recent work on the dynamics of dry structures has emphasized the shock-response analysis of hard disk drives.  The research on bubble dynamics has addressed large bubbles associated with underwater explosions.  Finally, the preceding has been directed toward the use of finite-element and boundary-element computational methods to treat complex engineering problems.

Selected Publications

  • “Direct Comparison of Computational and Experimental Head-Slap Data for a Nonoperating Hard Disk Drive” (with S. Sharma and M. Virmani, to appear in IEEE Trans.Magnetics, March, 2007
  • “A Spectral/Finite Element Analysis of a Ship-Like Structure Subjected to an Underwater Explosion” (with M.A. Sprague), Comp. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng., Vol. 195, pp. 2149-2167, 2006.
  • “Optimization of the G&H Bubble Model” (with C.K. Park), Shock and Vibration, Vol. 12, pp. 3-8, 2005.
  • "A Spectral-Element Method for Modeling Cavitation in Transient Fluid-Structure Interaction" (with M.A. Sprague), Int. J. Num. Meth. Eng’g., Vol. 60, pp.2467-2499, 2004.
  • “Pressure and Velocity Fields Produced by an Underwater Explosion” (with K.S. Hunter), J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 115, pp. 1483-1496, 2004.
  • "Spectral Elements and Field Separation for an Acoustic Fluid Subject to Cavitation" (with M.A. Sprague), J. Comp. Phys., Vol. 184, pp. 149-162, 2003.
  • "An Integrated, Wave-Effects Model for an Underwater Explosion Bubble" (with K.S. Hunter), J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 111, pp. 1584-1601, 2002.
  • "Shock Analysis of a Hard Disk Drive" (with J.L. Aristegui), J. Info. Stor. Proc. Sys., Vol. 3, pp. 221-227, 2001.
  • "Computational Treatments of Cavitation Effects in Near-Free-Surface Underwater Shock Analysis" (with M.A. Sprague), Shock and Vibration, Vol. 8, pp. 105-122, 2001.
  • "Third-Order Doubly Asymptotic Approximations for Computational Acoustics" (with B.J. Toothaker), J. Comp. Acoust., Vol. 8, pp. 101-120, 2000.