Research themes
The main research themes, with main contact person, include:
- Structural Engineering (C.G. Bailey)
- Fire Engineering (C.G. Bailey)
- Structural Dynamics (T. Ji)
- Design and Systems (G. Thompson)
- Risk and Reliability (G. Thompson)
- Impact and Explosion Mechanics (Q. Li)
- Commercial Management
- Project, Program and Portfolio Management
Within the Group there are various underpinning generic capabilities where individuals have international presence, the main contact is underlined:
- Structural analysis and design (Bailey, Bell, Ji, Mandal, Swailes, Wang, Wu.)
- Behaviour of steel, concrete, masonry and timber structures in fire (Bailey, Wang)
- Membrane action of floor plates under large deflections (Bailey)
- Dynamic loading and human-structural interaction (Ji, Q.Li, Bell, Mandal)
- Impact, explosions and protective technology (Q.Li, S.Li, Oyadiji)
- Composites (S.Li, Wu, Tafreshi, Wang, Q.Li)
- Risk and Reliability (Thompson, Alonso-Rasgado)
- Concept design, creativity (Thompson)
- Bio- nano- and MEMS modelling (Alonso-Rasgado, Thompson)
- Modelling fire behaviour (CFD) and heat transfer (Bailey, Wang)
- Novel steel/concrete composite floor systems (Bailey)
- Masonry structures (Bell)
- Historic structures (Swailes, Bell)
- Conflict and dispute resolution
- Contract price prediction and cost estimating
- Knowledge management and organisational learning
- Procurement strategy and systems
- Project finance
- Risk management
- Supplier decision-making: decision to bid and bid price determination
- Value management
- Application of neural networks, fuzzy logic, regression analysis
- Application of problem structuring methods (PSMs) in project management (eg. soft systems methodology)
- Management of emergency and urgent projects
At present there is on-going research in the following specific applications with funders in parentheses:
- One-Stop-Shop in Structural Fire Engineering (Dti)
- Structural steel connections under fire conditions (EPSRC)
- Post-tensioned concrete floor slabs under fire conditions (EPSRC)
- Monitoring of Rolls Royce transverse flux motor (QINETIQ)
- Human-structure dynamic interaction (EPSRC, Leverhulme Trust)
- Development of computational tools (EPSRC)
- Modelling of combustion-induced mechanical property degradation of flame-retardant composites (EPSRC)
- Development of viscoelastic-metal composites for damping applications (EPSRC)
- 'Total Care' design and modelling for aircraft engine support (EU)
- Investigation on PMI foam-filled sandwiches (Degussa)
- Dynamic strength of concrete (Chinese National Key Lab of Explosion Science and Safety)