Introduction

The Structures Group is part of the Civil Engineering Division of the Engineering Department.

The research of the Structures Group covers a wide range of applications, from civil infrastructure to aerospace and to biological structures. Research projects address problems of a fundamental nature, with the aim of understanding the key effects and the parameters that control them, often through a combination of experimental observations, analysis and computer simulation.

Work on civil infrastructure is concerned with the aeroelastic behaviour of long span bridges, novel concepts for lightweight retractable roofs, the wholelife performance of existing concrete bridges, the use of fibre-reinforced polymers in prestressed concrete and the repair of concrete structures. Fundamental research on the application of plasticity theory to the design of concrete structure is also being carried out.

Research on aerospace structures is mainly focussed on deployable spacecraft structures, adaptive aircraft wings, and atmospheric balloons. Concepts for novel deployable antennas and earth-observation radar structures based on ultra-thin advanced composites are also being investigated.

Members of the group are also involved in applying structural mechanics concepts to the structure of viruses and DNA.