Department of Mechanical, Bioresources and Biomedical Engineering

Prof HM Ngwangwa (Tuition & Learning)

College of Science, Engineering and Technology
School of Engineering
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Associate Professor
Tel: 011 471 2079
E-mail: ngwanhm@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD Mechanical Engineering- University of Pretoria (UP, 2014)
  • MSc Mechanical Engineering- University of Pretoria (UP, 2004)
  • BSc Hons Mechanical Engineering (UP, 2002)
  • BSc Mechanical Engineering (University of Malawi, 1995)

Fields of academic interests

Research interests

  • Condition Monitoring of Engineering Structures
  • Rotordynamics
  • Machinery and infrastructure health monitoring using AI methods
  • Kinetic energy harvesting from Biosystems

Field of Specialisation

  • Structural health monitoring
  • Structural mechanics
  • Biomechanics and bioinspired designs
  • Artificial neural networks
  • Bioengineering and tissue engineering

Books

  • HM Ngwangwa, PS Heyns, HGA Breytenbach, PS Els Validating Road Profile Reconstruction Methodology Using ANN Simulation on Experimental Data,

Book Chapter(s):

  • Optical Measurements, Modeling, and Metrology, Volume 5,2011: pp: 345-357

Journal articles

  • P.S. Heyns, H.M. Ngwangwa, T. Heyns, S. van der Westhuizen,e-Monitoring for haul road maintenance in mining applications. e-Maintenance 2012. Luleå Sweden 12-14 December 2012.
  • P.S.Heyns, C.J. Stander, T. Heyns, K. Wang, & H.M. Ngwangwa  Vibration based condition monitoring under fluctuating load and speed conditions. 18th World Conference on Non-destructive Testing. Durban, South Africa, 16 – 20 April 2012.
  • H.M. Ngwangwa, P.S. Heyns Comparative evaluation in the performance of NARX and GRNN on Road profile reconstruction. Second African Conference on Computational Mechanics – An International Conference – AfriCOMP11, January 5 – 8, 2011, CapeTown.
  • Ngwangwa, H.M., Heyns, P.S., Labuschagne, F.J.J., Kululanga, G.K. Overview of the neural network based technique for monitoring of road condition via reconstructed road profiles, Southern African Transport Conference (SATC2008), Pretoria, 7-10 July 2008.
  • Heyns, P.S., Stander, C.J. Oberholster, A.J., Schön, P.P. & Ngwangwa, H.M  Machine and structural health monitoring: Some recent developments, SEMC, Cape Town, 10-12 September 2007 (Invited paper).
  • H.M. Ngwangwa & P.S. Heyns Application of an ANN-based methodology for road surface condition identification on mining vehicles and roads. Journal of Terramechanics 53, 2014: pp 59-74. ISSN 0022 – 4898
  • H.M. Ngwangwa, P.S. Heyns, H.G.A. Breytenbach, & P.S. Els, Reconstruction of road defects and road roughness classification using Artificial Neural Networks simulation and vehicle dynamic responses: Application to experimental data. Journal of Terramechanics, 53, 2014: pp 1 - 18.
  • Ng wangwa, H.M., Heyns, P.S., Labuschagne, F.J.J., Kululanga, G.K. Reconstruction of road defects and road roughness classification using vehicle responses with artificial neural networks simulation, Journal of Terramechanics , 47 (2010) 97–111.
  • Ngwangwa, H.M., Heyns, P.S. & Van Tonder, F., Assessment of structural damage using operational time responses and finite element simulation. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 296(1-2), 23-45, 2006.

Projects

  • Intelligent road condition monitoring using vehicle responses
  • Modelling and characterisation of soft tissue-bone interface.
  • Wind-blade interaction (Aeroelasticity of bio-inspired wind turbines).
  • Machine design and health condition monitoring.
  • Modelling and characterisation of biomaterials.

Other

Biography:

Harry M. Ngwangwa graduated with BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Malawi in 1995 after which he started lecturing in the Department of Mechanical Engineering up to 2002. He obtained his MSc in Structural Dynamics from University of Pretoria in 2005. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pretoria in 2014. He has lectured and provided short-term training in wide ranging areas of engineering including: Engineering Dynamics, Control Systems, Computer-Aided Designing, Applied Mechanical Science and Project Management. He has also served as a Student Projects Coordinator, ad hoc Faculty Examinations Officer, Faculty Representative on Publications, Short Courses Coordinator and Treasurer for Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Malawi. He presently works as a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of South Africa. 

His publications are also available on: