Wed 25 Jun 15:00: Epithelium Ruck Formation: IA Buckling Perspective
The epithelium is bodily tissue which can transform itself in a developing embryo into new structures that set the basic shape and direction of the body and gut. Many studies treat the shape transformation as the buckling of a confined ring of expanding epithelium cells, often within an energy-based analytical framework or simulated via sophisticated numerical or computation analysis.
This talk will describe the “mechanics” of this, and other, buckling scenarios successfully in terms of concepts from Structural Mechanics taught in Part IA of the Engineering Tripos.
- Speaker: Keith Seffen, University of Cambridge
- Wednesday 25 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Wed 25 Jun 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Keith Seffen, University of Cambridge
- Wednesday 25 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 13 Jun 15:00: The Geometry of Equilibrium Book Tour: Lecture 1
This month Cambridge University Press are publishing “The Geometry of Equilibrium: James Clerk Maxwell and 21st-Century Structural Mechanics”.
Edited by Bill Baker and Allan McRobie, the book is the result of around 10 years’ collaborative research with contributions from many others, including current and former members of the Structures Group; Petia Tzokova, Marina Konstantatou, Cameron Millar, Simon Guest and John Ochsendorf.
The talk will explain how a re-examination of the papers of James Clerk Maxwell can lead to a highly geometric perspective on structural engineering theory that is strikingly different to the one usually taught in this and other engineering departments. This ‘new’ perspective is of great relevance to modern, material-efficient structural design. The talk will also describe some of the more recent research into the foundations of structural mechanics that has since been built on Maxwell’s insights. This is founded on Legendre transforms and polarities in 3D and 4D projective geometry, with added elements from algebraic topology, homology and cohomology. Much of this material is too recent to have made it into the book.
- Speaker: Allan McRobie, University of Cambridge
- Friday 13 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 13 Jun 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Allan McRobie, University of Cambridge
- Friday 13 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 13 Jun 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Amila Jayasinghe, University of Cambridge
- Friday 13 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 20 Jun 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Keith Seffen, University of Cambridge
- Friday 20 June 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 17 Oct 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Jelena Ninic, University of Birmingham
- Friday 17 October 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 30 May 15:00: Statistical Finite Elements via Interacting Particle Langevin Dynamics
In this work, we develop a class of interacting particle Langevin algorithms to solve inverse problems for partial differential equations (PDEs). We leverage the statistical finite elements formulation to obtain a finite-dimensional statistical model, where the parameter is that of the forward map and the latent variable is the discretised solution of the PDE , assumed to be partially observed. We then adapt a recently proposed expectation-maximisation like scheme, the interacting particle Langevin algorithm (IPLA), for this problem and obtain a joint estimation procedure for the parameters and the latent variables. The estimation of an unknown source term is demonstrated for linear and nonlinear Poisson PDEs, as well as the diffusivity parameter for the linear Poisson PDE . We provide computational complexity estimates for forcing estimation in the linear case, including comprehensive numerical experiments and preconditioning strategies that significantly improve the performance.
- Speaker: Alex Glyn-Davies, University of Cambridge, UK
- Friday 30 May 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 10 Oct 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Matthew Santer, Imperial College London, UK
- Friday 10 October 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 23 May 14:30: Recent advances in critical infrastructures forecasting via Physics-Enhanced Machine Learning
This talk will introduce the concept of Physics-Enhanced Machine Learning (PEML) which combines data, physics and expert and domain knowledge to enhance modelling and forecasting capabilities of critical infrastructures such as bridges, ferry quays and wind turbines. PEML approaches developed to address challenges such as parameter identification and virtual sensing will be described. An overview of recent developments on model updates in the presence of sparse information, equation discovery in the presence of non-smooth nonlinearity, and measurements disentanglement will be provided. Finally open challenges are going to be summarised.
- Speaker: Alice Cicirello, University of Cambridge, UK
- Friday 23 May 2025, 14:30-15:30
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 16 May 15:00: Structural Response and Reuse Potential of Steel-timber Shear Connections
This presentation examines the structural response, disassembly, and reuse potential of steel-timber shear connections. It includes results from experiments and numerical simulations under various loading conditions. A detailed account of the complete deformation response and the main mechanical parameters of the tested shear connections for conventional and slim steel-timber floors is presented. Non-linear finite element simulations were carried out to validate the main numerical parameters for steel, timber, and interaction characteristics, and then used for parametric investigations. Based on the results and observations, code-modified expressions for evaluating stiffness and load resistance were proposed within the ranges considered and validated against a collated database. A constitutive model was developed to predict the full load-slip response of shear connections, which can be adopted for discrete non-linear modelling of connectors. A reuse potential testing protocol was developed to evaluate performance after cyclic loading and reassembly, and a modified separation damage index was introduced to quantify the circularity of these systems. A sensitivity study for the tested shear connections and other practical configurations for steel-timber floors was also carried out for evaluating the circularity of such systems.
- Speaker: Dan Bompa, University of Surrey, UK
- Friday 16 May 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 02 May 15:00: Toward Mechanically Adaptive and Multi-functional Structures
Most natural organisms show fascinating mechanical adaptability when interacting with their environments. Stiffness tuning in nature is used as a powerful tool to combine the load carrying functionality of rigid structures with compliance and adaptability. Human-made structures, however, do not possess this mechanical adaptability and are often designed to meet a specific load carrying requirement. This causes limitations in performance, efficiency and safety. Often to add other functionalities, additional components are needed, which increases the total weight and cost of the structures.
In this talk, I will present the latest research in our group on a variety of structures including multi-material cellular and multi-layered structures that employed active stiffness tuning based on thermoplastic softening. We use a combined experimental and numerical approach to investigate the electro-thermo-mechanical response of these structures. Understanding the main physical obstacles that limit the response time and the fundamental parameters controlling the stability and the failure under harsh electro-thermal loading will help us to better engineer the structures to meet the fast response and low power requirements. This new understanding will accelerate the technology readiness level of active structural control technology to be used in future multi-functional and smart structures. This technology has a wide range of application in robotics, morphing and deployable structures, active damping and active impact protection.
- Speaker: Iman Mohagheghian, University of Surrey
- Friday 02 May 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 17 Oct 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Jelena Ninic, University of Birmingham
- Friday 17 October 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 09 May 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Ali Abbas, University of East London
- Friday 09 May 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.
Fri 02 May 15:00: Title to be confirmed
Abstract not available
- Speaker: Iman Mohagheghian, University of Surrey
- Friday 02 May 2025, 15:00-16:00
- Venue: CivEng Seminar Room (1-33) (Civil Engineering Building).
- Series: Engineering Department Structures Research Seminars; organiser: Shehara Perera.