Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Richard B. Couch Professor of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
Email: krmahesh@umich.edu
Degrees
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (1996), Stanford University
M.S. Mechanical Engineering (1990), Standford University
B. Tech. Mechanical Engineering (1989), Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Research Interests
The Mahesh laboratory is involved in the computation, analysis, and modeling of turbulent flows. The overall vision of the laboratory is to transform the role of simulations in the design and optimization of future Navy platforms, and enable the discovery of the fundamental science central to their multi-physics, turbulent flows. Traditionally, high-fidelity simulation methods like direct numerical and large-eddy simulation have been restricted to fairly simple geometries and flow physics. We are developing numerical methods, turbulence models and simulation tools that are flexible enough to handle multi-physics flows in engineering geometries without compromising the accuracy needed to simulate turbulence. Most of our simulations use unstructured grids on massively parallel computing platforms. We develop our own simulation codes – MPCUGLES being our flagship software. Group members perform hands-on work on developing state-of-the-art algorithms, which they implement into parallel simulation codes and use to perform simulations on some of the largest parallel computers in the country. The simulation results are then examined to elaborate on the underlying flow physics. The MPCUGLES software has the accuracy to perform benchmark calculations of fundamental flows, as well as the flexibility to simulate flow in highly complicated engineering geometries. We conduct research into a variety of applications including: marine propulsors, cavitation, hydroacoustics, flow over rough surfaces, laminar-turbulent transition, turbulent mixing, fluid/structure interaction, flow control, and moving-body flows. We are always interested in hiring strong new members to our group. Please contact Professor Mahesh if you are interested.
Honors & Awards
- Best Paper award, 2021 AIAA Hampton Roads Section (HRS) Laurence Bement Young Professional Paper Competition, for J. Fluid Mech., 790: 275-307 (2021)
- Fulbright Scholar, Host: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (2018)
- Best paper Award, Fifth International Symposium on Marine Propulsors (2017)
- Fellow, American Physical Society (2011)
- Taylor Award for Distinguished Research, University of Minnesota (2010)
- Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (2009)
- Fellow, Minnesota Supercomputing Institute (2005)
- McKnight Presidential Fellowship Award, University of Minnesota (2005)
- Guillermo Borja Award, University of Minnesota (2005)
- McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, University of Minnesota (2003)
- CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2002)
- Francois N Frenkiel Award, American Physical Society (1997)
- Institute Silver Medal, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (1989)
Faculty Type
Joint