About

Andre Mazzoleni is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NC State University. He is the Director of the Engineering Mechanics and Space Systems Laboratory (EMSSL) at NC State. His research interests include dynamics, vibrations, solid mechanics, nonlinear systems, astronautics, spacecraft design, biomechanics, power generation, and energy storage. Dr. Mazzoleni teaches graduate courses such as Advanced Dynamics I and II, and Space Exploration Systems, which cover topics like rotating coordinate systems, Euler angles, Quaternions, three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics, angular momentum methods, and analytical mechanics, with applications in aerospace vehicles, land-based vehicles, wind turbines, biomechanical systems, and robotic systems. At the undergraduate level, he teaches courses related to space flight and introductory engineering mechanics. He works closely with his graduate students, emphasizing practical problem-solving approaches and motivating students interested in dynamics, space exploration, energy generation, or biomedical engineering.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence
• Marine engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Telecommunications
• Mathematics
• Electrical engineering
• Control engineering
• Mechanics
• Physics
• Simulation

Selected publications

• Modeling, Control, and Closed-Loop Mobility Characterization of a <u>S</u> pherical <u>S</u> ailing <u>O</u> mnidirectional <u>R</u> over (SSailOR)

  Journal of Dynamic Systems Measurement and Control · 2026-01-06

  article

  Abstract This paper presents a control-oriented dynamic model, controller, and closed-loop mobility characterization for the first wind-powered spherical rover capable of net upwind motion. This device, termed the Spherical Sailing Omnidirectional Rover (SSailOR), incorporates design features within a spherical, terrestrial rover that mimic the role that a centerboard (or keel) and lifting sails play in allowing net upwind motion for sailboats. Specifically, a traction hoop enables significant lateral resistance, thereby providing a nonholonomic constraint in the direction of travel. Lifting sails enables net thrust even when traveling significantly upwind, while also providing heading control. While providing unique capabilities, the SSailOR gives rise to a complex design and control space, where careful model-based design and control are necessary to ensure that the SSailOR can simultaneously (i) make net upwind progress, (ii) respond quickly to wind speed/direction changes, (iii) limit heel angle, and (iv) control its heading. To simultaneously address these challenges, we first present a control-oriented dynamic model. This is followed by the presentation of a combined heading and heel angle controller. Finally, with the dynamic model and control structure in place, we present a detailed closed-loop Pareto analysis, which illustrates the tradeoff between transient and steady-state performance, along with the design features that favor one modality of performance over another.

  PublisherDOI

• A European Hail and Lightning Climatology From an 11‐Year Kilometer‐Scale Regional Climate Simulation

  Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · 2025-07-18 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Hail and lightning, associated with severe convective storms, can cause extensive damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and ecosystems. Because of the small scale of these storms and the complexity of the involved processes, observing and modeling convective storms is challenging. The potential of online diagnostics in convection‐permitting models to simulate hail and lightning, especially over climatic time scales and extended regions, has not yet been fully exploited. To address this gap, we present a European‐wide hail and lightning climatology (2011–2021) using the Consortium for Small Scale Modeling (COSMO) regional climate model with a horizontal grid spacing of 2.2 km, coupled with a hail growth model (HAILCAST) and the lightning potential index (LPI) diagnostics. We further developed a new European‐wide hail product based on the Operational Program for the Exchange of Weather Radar Information (OPERA) composite. Model validation against observations demonstrates an overall good performance in simulating hail and lightning on spatial, seasonal, and diurnal scales. The highest hail frequencies occur during summer along the slopes of high mountain ridges, such as the Alps, Pyrenees, and the Carpathians, aligning with observed lightning hotspots in Europe. In autumn, hail and lightning occur predominantly over the Mediterranean and along the Adriatic coast. Severe hail events with a maximum hail diameter larger than 20 mm mainly occur in the Po Valley, western Spain, and Eastern Europe. This 11‐year simulation provides a European‐wide data set of severe convective storms and their properties, serving as a basis for further studies of convective events and their impacts.

  PublisherDOI

• A low-order modeling approach for analyzing the performance of coaxial, counter-rotating ocean current turbines: The equivalent single rotor model

  Renewable Energy · 2024-12-29 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Algorithm for Locomotion Mode Selection, Energy Estimation and Path Planning for a Multi-terrain Screw-Propelled Vehicle for Arctic Exploration

  2024-07-15 · 7 citations

  articleSenior author

  The Multi-terrain Amphibious ARCtic explOrer or MAARCO is a screw-propelled vehicle designed to move seamlessly across the heterogeneous and diverse Arctic landscape. Its propulsion system consists of one or multiple pairs of helical drives (or Archimedes’ screws) that offer two modes of locomotion for straight-line motion while moving on land - Screw and Crab-crawl. In screw mode, the rover moves in a forward or backward direction by rotating the drives in opposite directions at the same speed. While in crab-crawl mode, the rover moves sideways by rotating the drives in the same direction at the same speed. This paper presents an algorithm for selecting between two modes of locomotion for straight-line motion as a function of the terrain or substrate that the rover is traversing. The algorithm is further applied for performing energy estimation and path planning. Results show that the rover chooses crab-crawl mode if the substrate fails under the stresses exerted by the rover and vice versa. The path planning section of the algorithm shows that maximizing the distance traveled in crab-crawl mode while simultaneously minimizing the distance traveled in screw mode derives the path with the least amount of required energy.

  PublisherDOI

• Experimental Validation of a Novel Wind Turbine Blade Power Optimization Methodology for Skewed Fluid Flow

  2024-01-01

  articleSenior author

  Designing wind turbine blade profiles to maximize fluid energy harvest is imperative for the cost optimization of renewable wind energy technology. The theoretical maximum kinetic energy harvest for turbines is defined by Betz’s limit. Software based on blade element momentum theory, such as QBLADE, can be utilized to analyze turbines for efficiency determination. This software contains tools for Betz optimization in axial flow conditions, but real-world wind profiles are rarely axial to the turbine, leading to the majority of flow entering the turbine being skewed relative to the turbine. To optimize a turbine for these skewed inflow velocities, derivations for the inflow velocity magnitude and direction at a skew angle of 30° and a blade radius of 0.15 meters are presented as design input parameters to an airfoil optimization script. Written in MATLAB, the script utilized a genetic algorithm for lift maximization of each elemental blade section. The chord and twist parameters of each blade segment were then determined utilizing optimal rotor theory. To validate this optimization schema, QBLADE was utilized to perform the blade element momentum theory analysis required for the determination of the power output of the multi-blade turbine, and the native Betz optimization tool was run with the modified inflow velocity with skew for comparison. To validate the theoretical results, each blade was utilized in a subsonic wind tunnel environment at different skew angles and different fluid flow speeds. Rotor angular rate, 3-axis force measurement, and power generated were all measured as a function of flow speed. The results of the experiment were compared with both theoretical results, and conclusions were drawn.

  PublisherDOI

• Investigation of a Novel Marine Based Reciprocating Current Energy Converter

  2024-09-23

  articleSenior author

  This paper presents MARINER, a novel tether-based underwater marine hydrokinetic system designed to harness current flow in both nearshore and offshore applications. The working principle of the system is based on the effect of drag force acting on a body on flow. By controlling the sizes of the two drag bodies in the flow it is possible to create a reciprocating motion which in turn can be used to generate power. This design allows MARINER to function with virtually no cut-in speed requirement and minimizes its impact on marine life due to its passive operation. A simplified model was created to simulate the cyclic motion of the two variable-size drag bodies. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the power generation capability of the system for sphere and spherical cone body shapes and various tether lengths. Additionally, the paper highlights the application of the system in various flow regimes ranging from 0 - 3 m/s, demonstrating its potential use in rivers, oceans, and tidal currents as a unique, scalable, current energy harvesting device.

  PublisherDOI

• Marine Hydrokinetic Farm Optimization for Coaxial Dual-Rotor Turbines

  IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering · 2024-07-22 · 1 citations

  article

  This article focuses on the optimization of marine hydrokinetic farms of coaxial dual-rotor turbines with wake interaction. To perform the optimization, we introduce a new analytical wake model for this turbine configuration and validate it herein. The proposed model predicts the wake velocity deficit in the near- and far-wake of the turbine in terms of the diameters and axial induction factors of the upstream and downstream rotors and the location of the near-wake boundary. It is derived by utilizing mass- and momentum balancing in the near- and far-wake control volumes, supplemented by the application of Bernoulli's principle along pertinent streamlines. The analytical prediction is compared with computational simulation results for different flow conditions to find good agreement between them. The optimization problem is solved by the implementation of a genetic algorithm, which is developed based on the wake model. The algorithm maximizes farm efficiency by minimizing the wake interactions among the turbines. The influence of different parameters of the algorithm on its overall performance and efficiency is investigated to discover that a perfect integration among the parameters is essential for a successful search. Eventually, three different cases are studied with different farm sizes, numbers of cells in farm layouts, and aspect ratios of the farm at each of the flow conditions to illustrate the functionality and robustness of the algorithm that is based on the proposed wake model. The optimization results will be useful for the assessment of the hydrokinetic power potential of such turbine configurations in an ocean or riverine current.

  PublisherDOI

• Design, Prototyping, and Experimentation of a Dual Helical Drive Vehicle for Underwater Exploration

  2024-09-23 · 3 citations

  articleSenior author

  This paper presents the development of a novel underwater screw-propelled vehicle prototype capable of operating both on the surface of the water and underwater. The locomotion of the prototype is controlled by the thrust and buoyancy generated by two helical drives or Archimedes' screws. The thrust generated by the drive depends on its rotational speed while the buoyancy depends on the amount of water in the central cylinder or ballast. Experimentation of the prototype's operation was conducted in a 3.35m-deep diving well at North Carolina State University. Real-time data acquisition and controls were performed through a tethered connection to the vehicle, and video post-processing was used for position estimation. Results from the vehicle's locomotion are presented as it demonstrates a variety of maneuvers including moving along the surface, controlling and maintaining a desired operating depth, and travelling while fully submerged. The experimental data acquired can now be applied towards dynamic model validation in efforts to develop an autonomous underwater screw-propelled vehicle.

  PublisherDOI

• Demonstration and Dynamic Model Validation of Underwater Locomotion of a Submersible Screw-Propelled Vehicle

  2024-09-23

  articleSenior author

  This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a dynamic model to characterize the underwater locomotion of a fully submersible screw-propelled vehicle. The Multi-terrain Amphibious ARCtic explOrer or MAARCO is an amphibious rover that uses a pair of helical drives or Archimedes' screws to move on land, on water, and underwater. The locomotion of the rover depends on the thrust generated by the rotating helical blades and the buoyancy force generated by flooding or emptying the central cylinders or ballasts. A submersible prototype is used to demonstrate the underwater locomotion capabilities of the rover, specifically sinking to different depths followed by resurfacing. The dynamic model, based on the Newton-Euler method, is developed using the generalized underwater vehicle's dynamics equation of motion. Hydrodynamic forces such as added mass, viscous drag, buoy-ancy, and gravity are considered in addition to the thrust and buoyancy forces exerted by the helical drives. Results obtained using the dynamic model and experiments performed using the prototype are compared for model validation and possible improvements to the dynamic model are identified.

  PublisherDOI

• Technoeconomic optimization of coaxial hydrokinetic turbines

  Renewable Energy · 2024-12-10 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• MAARCO – Multi-terrain Amphibious ARCtic ExplOrer

  NSF · $583k · 2021–2025

Frequent coauthors

• Matthew Bryant

  North Carolina State University

  27 shared

• Sumedh Beknalkar

  North Carolina State University

  16 shared

• Kenneth Granlund

  16 shared

• David B. French

  United States Air Force Academy

  9 shared

• Chris Vermillion

  North Carolina State University

  8 shared

• Thomas Gemmer

  North Carolina State University

  8 shared

• Alexandre E. Hartl

  North Carolina State University

  7 shared

• Kartik Naik

  North Carolina State University

  6 shared