Prof. Coit Research Interests, Affiliations, Projects and Funding
Research Areas:
System Reliability Modeling & Optimization
Research: Use of mathematical programming, evolutionary algorithms and/or machine learning to determine optimal design architectures, cost-effective maintenance strategies and/or restoration plans to achieve high levels of system reliability and/or resilience; often considering uncertainty, degradation and risk-aversion.
Application Areas: Mechanical systems (aircraft carrier launcher and recovery gear, etc.); electrical power grid (distribution and transmission systems); bridge components/steel rebars
Sample Publications:
“A Risk-Averse Stochastic Program for Integrated System Design and Preventive Maintenance Planning,” European Journal of Operational Research,” Bei, Zhu & Coit, vol. 276, no. 2, July 2019.
“Optimization of On-condition Thresholds for a System of Degrading Components with Competing Dependent Failure Processes,” Yousefi, Coit, Song & Feng, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 192, December 2019.
“Resiliency-based Restoration Optimization for Dependent Network Systems Against Cascading Failures,” Zhou, Coit, Felder & Wang, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 2017, March 2021.
“Optimal System Design and Sequential Preventive Maintenance under Uncertain Aperiodic-Changing Stresses,” Zhu, Bei, Chatwattanasiri & Coit, IEEE Trans. on Reliability, vol. 67, n3, 2018.
Energy Systems Optimization
Research: Application of optimization algorithms to determine electric power-grid or micro-grid expansion plans, PV-battery resilience integration, and combined system hardening and restoration plans; often considering unlikely extreme events, climate change, carbon emissions, health externalities.
Application Areas: Power generation, transmission & distribution; micro-grids; PV assemblies for commerical structures
Sample Publications:
“A Storage Expansion Planning Framework using Reinforcement Learning and Simulation-Based Optimization,” Tsianikas, Yousefi, Zhou, Rodgers & Coit, Applied Energy, vol. 290, May 2021
“Generation Expansion Planning Considering Health and Societal Damages - A Simulation-Based Optimization Approach,” Rodgers, Coit, Felder & Carlton, Energy, vol. 164, 2018.
“Economic Trends and Comparisons for Optimizing Grid-Outage Resilient Photovoltaic and Battery Systems,” Stamatis Tsianikas, Jian Zhou, Dunbar P. Birnie & David Coit, Applied Energy, vol. 256, December 2019.
Reliability & Maintenance Theory
Research: Theoretical development of mathematical models for complex and unsolved problems in reliability and maintenance; often considering dependent degradation paths, combined/integrated decision making, uncertainty.
Sample Publications:
“Reliability Analysis of Systems Considering Clusters of Dependent Degrading Components,” Yousefi, Coit & Song, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 202, October 2020.
“Reliability Assessment and Lifetime Prediction of Degradation Processes Considering Recoverable Shock Damages,” Huang, Zhao, Coit & Tang, IISE Transactions, vol. 53, no. 5, May 2021
“Dynamic k-out-of-n System Reliability with Component Partnership,” Coit, Chatwattanasiri, Wattanapongsakorn & Konak, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, vol. 138, 2015.
Research Projects and Funding
Power System Planning Expansion Planning Models (Principal Investigator: Mark Rodgers, Investigator: David Coit) - State of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) grant ($147,400, 7/2023 to 6/2025)
Jean d’Alembert Fellowship for Visiting Scientists (awarded to David Coit) - Universite Paris Saclay, Paris, France (1/2023 to 12/2024).
Reliability and Resilience of Electrical Power Generation and Distribution to Facilitate Renewable Energy Sources: Collaboration between Rutgers and Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - Rutgers Global Grant ($6,500, 6/2021 to 5/2023)
Machine Learning Approach for Remaining Useful Life (RUL) Estimation and Condition-based Maintenance for Degrading Components and Systems (Principal Investigator: Xiaoyan Zhu, Investigator: David Coit) - National Science Foundation of China (1/2020 to 12/2023)
Feasibility of Autonomous Enforcement using Advanced Weigh-In-Motion (A-WIM) System to Reduce Rehabilitation Cost of Infrastructure (Principal Investigator: Hani Nassif, Co-Principal Investigators: Kaan Ozbay, David Coit, Chaekuk Na) - Federal Highway (FHWA) US DOT Tier 1 Center, C2SMART ($125,000, 1/2019 to 12/2020)
Bridge Resource Program (Principal Investigator: Hani Nassif, Co-Principal Investigators: Rod Lewis, Kaan Ozbay, Kaz Tabrizi, Investigators: David Coit, Thomas Tsakalakos, Richard Riman) - NJ Department of Transportation (DOT) ($1,600,000 per year for 4 years, 2017 to 2020)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President’s International Fellowship for Visiting Scientists (awarded to David Coit) – University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) (Summer 2019)
Center for Quality, Reliability & Maintainability Engineering (Principal Investigator: Elsayed Elsayed, Co-Principal Investigators: David Coit, Susan Albin, Hoang Pham, MK Jeong) - Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) grant ($300,000, 4/2012 to 1/2017)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President’s International Fellowship for Visiting Scientists (awarded to David Coit) – University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) (Summer 2016)
Development of Reliability Models to Support the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Gear (ALRE) Service Life Analysis Program (SLAP) - Phase 5 (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Navy/NAVAIR grant ($145,000, 10/2013 to 7/2016)
Integrated Modeling and Optimization of Manufacturing Variability and Product Reliability for Advanced/Evolving Technologies (Principal Investigators: Qianmei Feng, David Coit) - National Science Foundation (NSF/CMII/MES) grant ($230,000, 9/2010 to 8/2015)
Utility Hardening/Storm Response (Principal Investigator: Frank Felder, co-Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (State Electricity Regulators Assistance Grant to the NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU)) ($304,619, 4/2014 to 11/2014)
Risk and Reliability Models for Condition-Based Ammunition Management (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Army ARDEC grant ($110,000, 4/2013 to 7/2014)
Optimum Condition-Based Maintenance Schedules (Principal Investigators: Elsayed Elsayed, Abdelmagid Hammuda, David Coit) - Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) grant ($223,000, 1/2011 to 12/2013)
Development of Reliability Models to Support the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Gear (ALRE) Service Life Analysis Program (SLAP) – Phase 4 (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Navy/NAVAIR grant ($66,000, 6/2013 to 9/2013)
Development of Reliability Models to Support the Recovery Gear Service Life Analysis Program - Phase 3 (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Navy/NAVAIR grant ($139,000, 10/2011 to 9/2012)
Development of Reliability Models to Support the Recovery Gear Service Life Analysis Program - Phase 2 (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Naval Air Engineering Station (NAVAIR/NAES) grant ($196,000, 9/2010 to 9/2011)
IGERT: Solutions for Renewable and Sustainable Fuels in the 21st Century (Principal Investigator: Eric Lam, Co-Principal Investigators: Frank Felder, Alan Goldman, Paul Falkowski, Lena Struwe, Todd Michael, Senior Personnel/IGERT Fellow Adviser: David Coit) – National Science Foundation (NSF) grant (8/2009 to 8/2015)
Development of Reliability Models to Support the Recovery Gear Service Life Analysis Program - Phase 1 (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - U.S. Naval Air Engineering Station (NAVAIR/NAES) grant ($224,000, 7/2009 to 12/2010)
Future Electric Power System in a Carbon Constrained World (Principal Investigators: David Coit, Frank Felder) - funded by Rutgers Energy Institute (REI) and Center for Energy, Economic & Environmental Policy (CEEEP) ($60,000, 9/2007 to 8/2009)
Probabilistic Decision Support for Evaluating Technology Insertion and Assessing Aviation Safety System Risk (Principal Investigator: James Luxhoj, Investigator: David Coit) - NASA grant ($1,164,000, 3/2003 to 12/2006)
Impact of Parameter Uncertainty on Asset Criticality and System Reliability (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - funded by Hydro One/Canadian Power Utility ($30,000, 1/2004 to 12/2004)
Stochastic Optimization of System Reliability with Risk-Averse Decision Makers (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - National Science Foundation / NSF CAREER grant ($310,000, 9/1999 to 8/2004)
Relating Field Data to Accelerated Life Testing (Principal Investigators: David Coit, E. A. Elsayed) - National Science Foundation (NSF) grant ($100,000, 8/2000 to 7/2002)
NSF/Industry Quality and Reliability Engineering (QRE) Center – an NSF I/UCRC Center
Reliability Modeling and Integrated Prognostics for Highly Reliable Systems (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - ($30,000, 10/2000 to 12/2001)
Reliability Prediction Based on Degradation with Multiple Changing Stresses (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - ($30,000, 10/1999 to 12/2000)
Repairable Systems Reliability: Planning and Assessment Tools (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - ($30,000, 10/1998 to 12/1999)
System Reliability Models with Uncertain Component Reliability Estimates (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - ($30,000, 10/1997 to 10/1998)
People Sensitive Processes (Principal Investigator: David Coit) - funded by U. S. Army ARDEC ($22,700, 8/1998 to 12/1999)