Yilun Liu, Virginia Tech
Yilun Liu, Ph.D. candidate
Date of Birth: 04/06/1988, Phone: (631)-848-2947, Email: liuyl@vt.edu
Address: 1711 Whipple Dr., Apt.23, Blacksburg, VA24060
Education
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
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Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, October 2016 (expected).
Dissertation title “Design, Modeling and Control of Vibration Systems with the Regenerative Electromagnetic
Shock Absorber and its Application in Vehicle Suspensions”
University of Florida
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M.S. in Dynamic System Control, Mechanical Engineering, May 2012.
GPA: 3.96/4.00
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
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B.E. in Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, July 2010.
GPA: 86.8/100
Research Experience
Advanced Semi-active Vehicle Suspension Control (06/2012-10/2015)
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Developed a new semi-active suspension control algorithm achieving increased ride experience. Developed a new
integrated design method for vehicle suspension systems achieving enhanced 𝐻2 performance
Built a 10-to-1 scaled-down quarter car test rig. Conducted experiments to demonstrate the enhanced performance
of the proposed semi-active control algorithm in comparison with several popular semi-active control algorithms,
such as Skyhook, Clipped-optimal LQG, Acceleration-driven-damper (ADD), etc.
Integrated the dSPACE control hardware with experimental setups (Hardware-In-Loop). Dynamic signal analyzers,
various types of transducers, shakers, etc. were also used in the experiment.
Published the research results in several journals and conferences
Innovative Vehicle Shock Absorber Design (08/2014-05/2016)
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Designed and prototyped an innovative semi-active electromagnetic shock absorber for the application of replacing
conventional oil damper in vehicle suspensions.
Analyzed interacted dynamics of vehicle suspensions with the proposed electromagnetic shock absorber.
Experimentally characterized the proposed shock absorber and demonstrated its semi-active controllability.
Instron testing systems, dynamic signal analyzers, various types of transducers, Solidworks, AutoCAD, Matlab,
etc. were used in this project.
Published the research results in several journals and conferences.
High-order Electromagnetic Damper Design and its Application in Vibration Systems (06/201305/2015)
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Designed an electromagnetic damper shunted with high-order electrical impedances (RLC circuit). Applied the
proposed electromagnetic damper to improving vibration mitigation in a 2-DOF vibration system.
Performed vibration analysis for the interacted dynamics of the vibration system with the proposed damper.
Built a scaled-down vibration testing system to experimentally demonstrate enhanced vibration mitigation
performance using the proposed electromagnetic damper
Published the research results in several journals and conferences.
Tracking Controller Design for a Two-link Robot Manipulator (12/2010-12/2011)
 Designed a Lynapunov-based controller for a Euler-Lagrange system;
Yilun Liu, Virginia Tech
 Adaptive controller, sliding mode controller design using nonlinear control theory;
 Tracking simulation: Matlab Simulink used;
Design of a Marine Floating Platform with Two Degree-of-Freedom, (11/2007 – 06/2009)
 Designed a mechanical platform with 2 DOF in the vertical and horizontal direction
 Open-loop system; the 2-DOF motion of the platform was controlled by selected servo-motors.
 National University Innovation Experimental Program(NUIEP), affiliated to National 863 Program (The National
High Tech Research and Development Program); Project leader;
 Filed one patent in Chinese
Teaching and Management Experience
Teaching Assistant in Multiple Courses in Virginia Tech and Stony Brook Univ. (01/2013-12/2013,
08/2014-12/2014)
 Including Machine Design, Advanced Control Theory, Electronics and Circuits for Mechanical Engineers
 Obtained very positive feedbacks from students
Mentoring Undergraduates in Their Senior Design in Virginia Tech (08/2015-05/2016)
 Leading and mentoring undergraduate students to design an new energy-harvesting vehicle shock absorber using
pulley and belt, Teaching them how to test the designed shock absorber
 The senior design project was finally graded “A”
Publications
Journal Papers
[1] Liu, Y. and Zuo, L., “Mixed Skyhook and Power-Driven-Damper: A New Low-Jerk Semi-Active Suspension
Control Based on Power Flow Analysis,” Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, ASME
Transaction on, vol. 138, no. 8, pp.081009, 2016.
[2] Liu, Y. and Zuo, L., “A Computation-Efficient Framework for the Integrated Design of Structural and Control
Systems,” Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, ASME Transaction on, vol. 138, no. 9,
pp.091001, 2016.
[3] Guo, S., Liu, Y., Xu, L., Guo, X. and Zuo, L., “Performance Evaluation and Parameter Sensitivity of Energyharvesting Shock Absorbers on Different Vehicles,” Vehicle System Dynamics, vol. 54, no. 7, pp. 918-942, 2016.
[4] Tang, X., Liu, Y., Cui, W. and Zuo, L., “Analytical Solutions to 𝐻2 and 𝐻∞ Optimizations of Resonant Shunted
Electromagnetic Tuned Mass Damper and Vibration Energy Harvester,” Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, vol.
138, no. 1, pp.011018, 2016.
[5] Liu, Y., Lin, C.C., Parker, J., and Zuo, L., “Exact 𝐻2 Optimal Tuning and Experimental Verification of Energyharvesting Series Electromagnetic Tuned-mass Dampers,” Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, accepted, published
online, 2016.
[6] Liu, Y., Xu, L., Zuo, L., “Design, Modeling and Experimental Characterization of a Novel Energy-harvesting
Shock Absorber with a Ball-screw-based Mechanical Motion Rectifier,” IEEE Transaction on Mechatronics, under
review, 2016.
Refereed Conference Papers
[1] Liu, Y. and Zuo, L., “Energy-Flow-Driven (EFD) Semi-active Suspension Control,” IEEE/ASME American
Control Conference (ACC), pp. 2120-2125, 2014.
[2] Liu, Y., Zuo, L. and Tang, X., “Regenerative Vibration Control of Tall Buildings Using Model Predictive Control,”
ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (DSCC), pp. V001T15A012-V001T15A012, 2013.
[3] Liu, Y., Lin, C.C. and Zuo, L., “Evaluation and Optimum Design of Dual-functional Electromagnetic Tuned-mass
Dampers,” the 12th International Conference on Motion and Vibration Control (MOVIC), 2014.
[4] Liu, Y. and Zuo, L., “Integrating Structure and Controller Design to Mechanical Systems via Decentralized Control
Techniques,” ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (DSCC), pp. V002T25A003-V002T25A003, 2015.
Yilun Liu, Virginia Tech
[5] Xu, L., Liu, Y., Guo, S., Guo, X. and Zuo, L., “Damping Characteristics of a Hydraulic Electric Rectifier Shock
Absorber and its Effect on Vehicle Dynamics,” ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences
and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC), pp. V003T01A009-V003T01A009, 2015.
[6] Guo, S., Xu, L., Liu, Y., Guo, X. and Zuo, L., “Performances of Energy-Harvesting Shock Absorbers on Various
Types of Vehicles,” ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (DSCC), pp. V002T36A004-V002T36A004,
2015.
[7] Liu, Y., Lin, X. and Zuo, L., “Design, Modeling and Experimental Characterization of a Novel Energy-harvesting
Shock Absorber with a Ball-screw-based Mechanical Motion Rectifier,” the 14th International Conference on
Motion and Vibration Control (MOVIC), 2016.
[8] Liu, Y. and Zuo, L., “Review of Mechanical System Design via Decentralized Control Techniques”, International
Symposium on Flexible Automation (ISFA), 2016.
[9] Guo, S., Xu, L., Liu, Y., Liu, M., Guo, X. and Zuo, L., “Modeling, Experiments, and Parameter Sensitivity Analysis
of Hydraulic Electromagnetic Shock Absorber,” ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences
(IDETC), 2016.
Non-Refereed Conference Papers
[1] Liu, Y., Lin, C.C. and Zuo, L., “Semi-active Controller Design for Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting
via LMI Approach,” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials/NDE, 2014.
[2] Liu, Y., Zuo, L., Lin, C.C. and Parker, J., “Exact 𝐻2 Optimal Tuning and Experimental Verification of Energyharvesting Series Electromagnetic Tuned-mass Dampers,” SPIE Smart Structures and Materials/NDE, 2016.
Design Patent
[1] Zuo, L., Lin, X., Wu, Y., Liu, Y., “Ocean Wave Energy Harvester Using Mechanical Motion Rectifier,” Serial
Number: 62/311,985, 2016
[2] Liu, Y., Xie, X., Zhu, R., and Ju, Y., “Ocean floating platform simulator with two degrees of freedom,” China
Invention & Patent, Patent No.: 200910052463.1, Publication (Reg.) No.: CN101576433, 2009. (In Chinese)
Selected Honors & Awards
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Student Travel Award, Stony Brook University (2014)
Outstanding Achievement, University of Florida (2012)
Outstanding Achievement, University of Florida (2011)
Achievement Award, University of Florida (2010)
"1st National University Innovation Experimental Program" Excellent Project Award (2009)
Atlas Copco Enterprise Scholarship (2008)
“Excellent member” of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2008)
Interests
Advanced vehicle suspension control, Innovative vehicle shock absorbers, Vehicle dynamics, Vibration analysis,
Vibration control, Mechatronics design, Mechanical Design, Linear and nonlinear control theory, Energy harvesting