Applied and Computational Mechanics Group

Modelling techniques and computational methods for advanced engineering of materials, solids and structures.

The Applied and Computational Mechanics Group carries out internationally recognised research into mechanics of solids, structures and materials which can be applied to address current engineering research challenges.

Our major focus is the investigation of a wide range of composite materials (fibre reinforced, soft electroactive, nano-structured, cementitious) and the development of computational methods for multiscale modelling and optimisation of structures and micro-architectured materials.

We are currently carrying out a variety of research projects in the following areas.

Computational models for advanced smart materials

Modelling of electro and magneto-active materials (actuation and energy harvesting)
Modelling of advanced micro- and nano-structured materials
Modelling of cellular, porous, fibrous composite materials
Modelling the mechanical behaviour biological materials
Investigation of dynamic properties of quasicrystalline and quasiperiodic structures.

Computational models for advanced structures and meta-structures

Advanced finite element methods for nonlinear and multiscale problems in solid and fluid mechanics
Analysis and optimum design software for composite aerospace structures
Development of robust and reliable meta-modelling approaches for inverse problems and optimisation
Robust aircraft design optimisation
Uncertainty quantification and management (UQ&M) in engineering applications
Smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) for modelling flow of particulate composites
Meta-structures and cloaking of flexural waves
Vibration based damage detection in mechanical and aerospace structures
Fast dynamics computational methods for crash and impact analysis, material fracture and explosion modelling
Finite-element modelling of high performance fibre reinforced cementitious composites.

Our partners

We are currently working with the following partners:

Universities and research centres

University of Bristol
Swansea University
University of Glasgow
University of Liverpool
Technion-Haifa
University of California at S Barbara
University of Luxembourg
Polish Academy of Sciences
University of Pisa
University of Trento
University of Copenhagen
Umeå University
Harbin Institute of Technology
Tsinghua University
Dalian University of Technology
Shanghai Jiaotong University
University of Waikato

Companies

Airbus
Cintec Ltd

We are currently carrying out a variety of funded research projects including:

RAINBOW-Rapid Biomechanics Simulation for Personalized Clinical Design, MSCA ETN, EU Commission. Dr P Kerfriden (2018/2022).

The aim is to realize the full potential of computational medicine and ICT to arrive at patient-specific simulation models that are rapidly set for a particular patient, are easy-to-use by clinical experts and do not require assistance from a technical team.

A Novel Complex Variable Meshless Method for the Efficient Optimal Design of Damage Tolerant Composite Aircraft Structures, MSCA Cofund fellowship, EU Commission. Dr Dong-Ming Li, Dr Z Wu (2018/20).

The goal of the project is to develop a model for composite structures based on a novel complex variable element-free Galerkin meshless method.

SRENASM-Simulation of Radiation Effects on Nuclear and Aerospace Structural Materials, MSCA Cofund fellowship, EU Commission. Dr O Noorikalkhoran, Prof M Gei (2017/20).

The goal of the project is to provide simulation tools able to predict radiation induced damage of materials employed in nuclear power plants and aerospace vehicle constructions.

A novel intelligent sensing system for composite blades to perceive the surrounding conditions, Royal Society. Dr Z Wu (2017/18).

The aim of this research is to develop a smart sensing system which enables composite blades to have a special “perceptual function.

ANCHOR-SYS-Manufacturing process development for innovative anchoring and reinforcement system, Astute 2020. Prof M Gei (2017/18).

The goal is to develop a new anchoring system to retrofit historical buildings in earthquake susceptible areas.

MeDyQuaM-Mechanics and dynamic processes in quasiperiodic materials, MSCA Cofund fellowship, EU Commission. Dr L Morini, Prof M Gei (2016/19).

The project is focused on the analysis of wave propagation and fracture in quasicrystalline materials. The goal is to obtain design guidelines to manufacture innovative micro-architectured materials based on quasiperiodicity.

Data-drive multidisciplinary design optimization of aircraft structures under uncertainty, Ser Cymru NRN. Dr A Kundu (2016/17).

The project, in cooperation with AIRBUS, aims to tackle a complex industrial problem of early stage aircraft design optimization within a Uncertainty Quantification & Management framework.

Virtual design for microfluidic encapsulation process, Ser Cymru NRN. Dr S Claus, Dr P Kerfriden (2015/18).

The aim is the development of XFEM techniques for multi-phase flows, including mesh adaptivity and optimisation algorithms. The targeted applications are in the domain of complex fluidics.

Simulation of the flow of non-Newtonian fibre-reinforced self-compacting concrete, Ser Cymru NRN. Prof B Karihaloo, Dr S Kulasegaram (2015/17).

Numerical models based on Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) techniques are developed to simulate the behaviour of self-compacting concrete.

Towards the next generation of fast dynamics solvers in engineering, Ser Cymru NRN. Dr S Kulasegaram (2014/17).

The objective of this research is the development of cutting-edge computational software for the simulation of newly emerging fast dynamics problems in industry.

An adaptive multiscale method for sandwich structured panels, Ser Cymru NRN. Dr P Kerfriden (2014/17).

The goal is to develop some robust adaptive multi-scale techniques with error control for simulation of damage in composite plates.