The University of Sheffield
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research Projects

Suggested possible projects are listed under the relevant research areas below. These lists are not intended to be fully comprehensive and other topics can be negotiated with individual staff members.

Please note, these are not funded PhD projects and applicants will need to indicate that they have secured funding when applying.

Biomedical Engineering

Development of finite element models for real-time surgical simulation
Development of mesh-free simulation methods for real-time surgical simulation
Simulation and modelling of needle insertion
Model-based registration of medical images
Biomechanical modelling for image-guided surgery
Modelling and experimental investigation of cutting of soft tissues
Human grip of hand-held objects
Developing a microfluidic chip for mechanobioengineering
Mechanics of cellular co-culture
Mechanical stimulation of stem cells in a composite scaffold sheet for tissue engineering
Image-based elastography using non-rigid medical image registration
In-vivo estimation of physical properties in right ventricular mechanics
Computational models for virtual cerebral aneurysm stenting
Computational models for virtual cerebral aneurysm coiling
Computational models for virtual coronary artery stenting
Dynamic anatomical modelling of arterial coronary trees from CTA and CCA imagery
Morphological and hemodynamic determinants of cerebral aneurysms rupture: A computational study - Focus on morphology
Morphological and hemodynamic determinants of cerebral aneurysms rupture: A computational study - Focus on hemodynamics
Image-based computational haemodynamics of the aorta: Respecting the physics
Maximising long-term treatment outcome through computational haemodynamics: The Fontan operation
Intracranial aneurysms: Are we treating a disease, or trying to interfere with nature's defence mechanism?
Preserving dignity in catheterized patients
A virtual model of the human lower urinary tract
Predicting soft tissue balance and post-operative function after total knee replacement
Individualised computer models to investigate neuromuscular variability over repeated tasks
A stochastic model of femoral strength changes over time
Finite element modelling of vertebral fracture in osteoporotic patients
Effect of bone lamellae heterogeneity on the biomechanics of cancellous bone tissue
Individualised multiscale modelling to predict the risk of bone fracture in elderly osteoporotic patients
Development of a damage-based predictive model for bone tissue adaptation
Bringing further insight in thermal processes into the area of fracture healing and joint life cycle
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Combustion

Emissions from blending various biomass fuels with coal in a fluidised bed combustor
Rates of corrosion for different biomass cofired with coal in a fluidised bed combustor
Development of a modifiable effective area fuel injector for use with variable calorific value fuel injectors
High pressure flame instabilities
Acoustic disruption of diffusion flames
Airport primary NO2 from engines
Flame dynamics at elevated pressure
Experimental investigation of impinging flames
Flame and acoustic wave interactions
High speed stereo imaging techniques for flame studies
Understanding the transient behaviour of gas turbine fuel injectors
Fluidically controlled fuel injector for use with variable calorific value fuel
Engine noise and emissions measurement system
Aviation fuel thermal stability
Measuring gas turbine engine oil degradation
The effect of biofuel blends on the thermal stability of diesel in gas turbines
The use of 02/CO2 closed cycle gas turbines for power generation
Development of pulse detonation engines
Development of a rapid compression machine for screening alternative fuels for gas turbines
Design optimisation of galvanising baths
Evaluating the performance of elastomeric materials using a Hanson solubility parameter
The effect of switching fuel supplies on the performance of elastomeric materials
Linking the chemical composition of fuels to the elastomeric material performance in gas turbines
Using spectroscopy to evaluate the decay in o-ring performance in gas turbines
Aviation gas turbine ignition - linking fuel composition to performance
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Design and Manufacturing

Improving the experience of using electronic hand-held devices
Designing hand-held equipment for more effective human interaction
Metal rolling - A new kind of sensor
Economics of designing out terrorism
Improved o-ring materials for use in gas turbines
Cryogenic processing of automotive components
Cryogenic processing of industrial tooling for manufacturing
Manipulation modelling
Designing with uncertainty
Opening up the range of thermoplastic polymers for additive manufacturing
Microstructural evolution and control of aerospace and automotive alloys using selective laser melting and electron beam melting
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Dynamics

Damping technologies applied to sports equipment
Uncertainty modelling in active vibration control
Air film dampers for panel vibrations
Application of MR dampers to vibration control problems
Auto-balancing using linear inchworm motors
Uncertain finite element modelling
Validating methods for non-linear systems
Experimental scale model testing of motorised momentum exchange space space tethers
Dynamics of very large scale space webs for space based solar power
Fundamental theoretical and experimental studies of non-stationary combination resonances in parametrically excited nonlinear structures
Aerodynamic flutter drive for a stochastically resonant energy harvester
Power flow through parametrically resonant oscillators
Mutually interactive adaptative boundary conditions for speed rotors
Modelling the dynamics of hybrid electric vehicle power-split systems
Smart automotive structural dynamics
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Fluid Mechanics

Numerical simulation of wind borne pollutants dispersion
Effect of rotation and stratification on particle dispersion and sedimentation
Wall effect on surface development in pipe flows
DES of fractally forced turbulence
Low reynolds number MAV aerodynamics
Natural laminar flow wing design and optimisation
Hybrid RANS/LES simulation of wind turbine
High fidelity pore-scale modelling for CO2 trapping mechanisms in support of carbon storage
Fundamental study of heat transfer to supercritical fluids in support of the development of novel inherently safe nuclear reactors
Fundamental study of turbulence in unsteady flows
Control of wall turbulence for drag reduction
Control of boundary layer transition to turbulence
Control of the pressure wave induced by a high-speed train running through a tunnel
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Mechanics of Materials

Multi-scale modelling of machining
Obtaining 3D stress fields using non-destructive photoelastic methods
Load measurement and life modelling in wind turbine bearings
Design and testing of a physical model to investigate Shaken Baby Syndrome
Experimental determination of the 3D stress tensor in engineering components
Using additive layer manufacturing to produce scaled structural models
Modelling of a living tissue (multi-scale technique)
Modelling of a living tissue (RVE analysis)
Damage detection in fibre metal laminates using novel experimental techniques
Wrinkling failure modelling in conventional metal spinning
Finite element analysis of a new concept of asymmetric tube spinning
Contact surface fatigue failures of wind turbine gearbox bearings
Effects of extreme events on wind turbine bearing failures
Probabilistic analysis of wind turbine gear micro-pitting
Fracture of automotive advanced high strength steels
Modelling of friction stir welding
Multi-scale modelling of the fatigue and fracture of aerospace alloys
Fatigue and fracture of fibre composites
Machining of fibre composites
Computational mechanics of fracture on advanced composite aerospace structures
Fatigue and fracture of mechanical components and aerospace hybrid laminates: Computational analysis and prediction
Local deformation and damage mechanisms and mechanical properties of spot welds in advanced automotive steels
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Structural Health Monitoring

Ideas for non-stationarity in structural health monitoring
Self-assembly of structural health monitoring diagnostic systems
Pattern recognition in healthcare diagnosis
Robust structural health monitoring
Disease surveillance methods for structural health monitoring
Verification and validation of damage models
Corrosion fatigue
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Tribology

Development of an ultrasonic tool for determining contact pressure
Monitoring prosthetic hip joint lubrication
Tribology and the causes of pedestrian slips
Pin joints for aircraft landing gear
Piezo-electric coatings to measure contact and wear
Lubrication monitoring in bearings
Railway track condition monitoring
Wear of railway train pantograph and overhead wire
Effect of soot on wear of engine components
Ultrasonic arrays for real-time dynamic contact measurement
Engine chain drive friction and wear
Coolant performance during chip machining
Surface finishing solutions in medical engineering applications
Wind turbine bearing lubrication
Bio-lubrication of contacts in the automotive powertrain
Monitoring lubrication in automotive engines
Analysis of strain in human tissue using dynamic OCT
Testing and optimisation of medical examination and surgical gloves
Tribology of the human foot - Avoiding slips and falls
Assessment of slip potential on safety flooring
Oil film measurement in auto engine piston rings
Ultrasonic machining and the generation of textured surfaces
Friction modifiers for the wheel/rail contact
Railway sensors
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