| Undergraduate | Form Findings for Tension Structures |
| | Review and development of Matlab routines for the form findings of tension structures using both kinematical and equilibrium approaches. The form finding (geometrical configuration) is a main step in the design of tension structures. Unlike conventional structures in which the geometry is well defined, in tension structures the geometry is one of the design variables which depends on prestressing and applied loading. The work is analytical and numerical. |
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| Undergraduate | Loading on Submarine Pipelines |
| | Assessment of different types of loadings (mechanical, thermal and environmental) acting on submarine pipelines on the seabed. The work is mainly analytical.
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| Undergraduate | Shaken baby Syndrome |
| | Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) refers to a pattern of defused head injuries that is associated with violent shaking of an infant. The project aims at developing a better understanding of injury mechanisms associated with SBS. The work involves subjecting a baby doll to shaking episodes and analysing the recorded data to determine energy input and relating this to expected injuries as predicted from Finite Element modelling. |
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| Undergraduate | Structural Characterisation of Weathered Granite Panels |
| | Granite is used as a thin structural veneer cladding on many high-rise buildings and must retain its structural integrity for the design life of the building. It is considered that the effect in cold climates of freeze/thaw conditions degrades the strength of these thin granite cladding panels over time. This project will investigate the effect of cyclic freezing and thawing on material properties by accelerated weathering using a freeze/thaw chamber and granite flexural testing specimens. The work is mainly experimental.
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| Undergraduate | The Mechanics of Coronary Stents |
| | A stent is usually deployed into arteries to restore blood flow. This relatively new technique is regarded as the most important advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease since the introduction of angioplasty. This project aims at understanding the mechanics of stent deployment. Analytical formulation of the kinematics and mechanics of stent deployment will be conducted first followed by FE modelling. |
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| Undergraduate | The Reserve Capacity of Thin-walled Structures subjected to Accidental Damage |
| | Developing a strategy for determining the reserve capacity of a damaged thin-walled structure. Accidental damage (eg denting) is quite common in industrial and storage type structures. Estimation of the reserve load-carrying capacity following accidental damage is an important practical problem. The thesis involves analytical and numerical work.
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