School of Mathematics and Statistics

Solid Mechanics

Most of our work is in the area of theoretical and applied elasticity, which forms the central core of the subject of solid mechanics. Elasticity is a broad fundamental science having applications in a diversity of other areas - for example, engineering structural mechanics (buckling and collapse of mechanical structures), materials science (modelling the mechanical properties of solids such as rubber), geophysics (interpretation of seismic data), non-destructive testing of materials using elastic waves, biomechanics (modelling the mechanical properties of soft tissue such as arteries).

The underlying mathematical theory of elasticity provides a rich framework for the study of such applications, and also offers many interesting and challenging mathematical questions in its own right relating to, for example, the governing partial differential equations and the qualitative properties of their solutions.

Dr Ciprian D Coman Senior Lecturer

Asymptotic methods; stress concentration

Research student: Xiang Liu

Prof Nicholas A Hill Head of School

Soft tissue mechanics; aneurysms; aortic dissection; gall bladder pain

Member of other research groups: Mathematical Biology, Fluids
Research students: Reem Almahmud, Weiwei Chen, Beibei Li, Muhammad Umar Qureshi, Bilal Usmani, Lei Wang

Dr Wenguang Li Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Biomechanics; modelling of gallbladder; non-linear finite strain modelling

Supervisor: Xiaoyu Luo

Prof Xiaoyu Luo Professor of Applied Mathematics

Biomechanics; fluid-structure interactions; mathematical biology ; solid mechanics

Member of other research groups: Mathematical Biology, Fluids
Research staff: Hao Gao, Wenguang Li, Yunfei Zhu
Research students: Andrew Allan, Weiwei Chen, Yujue Hao, Xingshuang Ma, Nan Qi, Lei Wang

Prof Raymond W Ogden Visiting Professor

Nonlinear elasticity; biomechanics

Research students: Xingshuang Ma, Prashant Saxena

Dr Steven Roper RCUK Fellow in Interfaces of Solid Mechanics

Materials science; fracture; finite elasticity and surfaces

Member of other research groups: Fluids
Research students: Beibei Li, Lei Wang

Dr Stephen J Watson Lecturer

The application of new mathematical ideas and new computational paradigms to material science, with an emphasis on self-assembling nano-materials; analysis and numerical analysis of partial differential equations arising in Continuum Physics; Material Science and Geometry.

Member of other research groups: Analysis

Dr Yunfei Zhu Research Associate

Finite strain nonlinear mechanics; finite element methods; biomechanics; modelling of heart

Supervisor: Xiaoyu Luo

Beibei Li PhD Student

Research Topic: Aortic Dissection
Member of other research groups: Mathematical Biology
Supervisors: Nicholas A Hill, Steven Roper

Xiang Liu PhD Student

Research Topic: Multiscale asymptotic analysis for wrinkling instabilities in tension
Supervisor: Ciprian D Coman

Nan Qi PhD Student

Research Topic: Finite element-immersed boundary method and its application to mitral valves and the heart
Member of other research groups: Fluids, Mathematical Biology
Supervisor: Xiaoyu Luo

Prashant Saxena PhD Student

Research Topic: On wave propagation in magnetoelastic materials
Supervisor: Raymond W Ogden

Lei Wang PhD Student

Research Topic: Modelling aortic dissection using the finite element methods
Member of other research groups: Mathematical Biology
Supervisors: Nicholas A Hill, Xiaoyu Luo, Steven Roper