Engineering Research Center

The Engineering Research Center is administered by the College of Engineering. Its aim is to conduct basic and applied research on economic and technological problems that are relevant to the industrial development of Armenia and its region. It brings together AUA visiting faculty, local scientists and engineers, and AUA students to collaborate on projects that are generated internally or funded by external sponsors. Qualified students are employed as research assistants and gain valuable experience working alongside experts on projects related to their fields of study. In the process, visiting faculty, local scientists and engineers, and students develop professional bonds that often permeate their future careers outside the University. A general requirement for a student to be employed as research assistant is a cumulative grade point average equal to, or greater than, 3.3.

The Center operates a number of research facilities. A computer lab is furbished with fully networked workstations under Windows and Unix operating systems and the necessary peripherals. The ERC Lab includes an earthquake simulation shake table with a one-ton capacity, a programmable multi-axis controller (PMAC) for training in computer-aided manufacturing and rapid prototyping, and a PMAC-controlled milling machine. A solar monitoring station is installed on the roof of the AUA building, which continuously collects solar radiation data since June 1995. Two strong-motion seismographs are installed in the basement and roof levels of the AUA building to register any seismic activity exceeding a preset level.

The Center has successfully completed a number of projects dealing with seismic response of structures, methods for isolation of buildings from the effects of strong ground motion, reliability of tunneling through jointed rock, theoretical mechanics studies on wave propagation and behavior of inhomogeneous bodies, the economics of small-scale alternative energy sources, and design of a laser scanner for monitoring defects of solar cells. Currently an international demonstration project related to the implementation of a cooling system based on solar energy is being carried out with participation of Portuguese, German, and Russian colleagues.

Engineering Research Center Projects:

• Design and Installation of a Solar Driven Desiccant Cooling Demonstration System "DESODEC" PROJECT
  • Presentation on February 14, 2002