Research topics within the Engineering, Modelling and Simulation Group (EMSG)

The study of airflow and noise generation around vehicles and structures, focusing on understanding, predicting, and optimizing aerodynamic performance while reducing unwanted noise and vibration. Applications include aircraft design, wind turbines, automotive engineering, and urban air mobility systems.

The study of interactions between aerodynamic forces and structural flexibility in aerospace vehicles. It focuses on predicting and preventing phenomena such as flutter, a potentially destructive self-excited vibration, to ensure the safety, stability, and performance of aircraft, spacecraft, wind turbines, and other lightweight structures.

The design, development, and operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous aircraft systems. This field integrates flight control, navigation, sensing, artificial intelligence, communications, and systems engineering to enable safe, efficient, and reliable autonomous flight for applications such as inspection, surveillance, logistics, environmental monitoring, and advanced air mobility.

The study of aircraft motion, stability, and performance, combined with the development of advanced control technologies for safe and efficient flight. This field integrates flight dynamics, guidance and navigation, automation, artificial intelligence, and adaptive control methods to enhance aircraft handling, autonomy, resilience, and operational efficiency across conventional, unmanned, and next-generation aerospace systems.

The science and engineering of systems designed for space exploration and utilisation. This field encompasses spacecraft and satellite design, propulsion, space mission analysis, communications, navigation, remote sensing, and in-orbit operations, supporting applications such as Earth observation, telecommunications, scientific discovery, planetary exploration, and the growing commercial space sector.

The study of the aerodynamic and structural behaviour of rotating blades, such as those used in helicopters, wind turbines, propellers, and turbomachinery. This field examines the interaction between aerodynamic loads, structural deformation, vibration, and dynamic response to improve performance, efficiency, reliability, and operational safety.

Electrochemical energy conversion devices that generate electricity directly from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, producing water and heat as by-products. Fuel cell technology offers high efficiency, low emissions, and quiet operation, making it a promising solution for sustainable power generation and propulsion applications in aerospace, transportation, and stationary energy systems.

The design and development of vehicles powered by electric propulsion systems, either fully electric or in combination with conventional internal combustion engines. This field focuses on energy storage, power electronics, electric drives, vehicle integration, and control systems to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and support the transition towards sustainable transportation across automotive, aerospace, marine, and rail applications.

The study of dynamic behaviour and oscillations in mechanical, aerospace, and structural systems, along with the development of methods to monitor, mitigate, and control vibrations. This field combines dynamics, sensing, modelling, and control engineering to enhance performance, safety, comfort, and structural integrity in applications ranging from aircraft and spacecraft to vehicles, machinery, and energy systems.

Devices that convert the kinetic energy of wind into electrical power through the rotation of aerodynamic blades connected to a generator. This field encompasses aerodynamics, structural design, materials, control systems, and energy conversion technologies to improve efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in renewable energy generation, both onshore and offshore.

Aircraft that use hydrogen as an energy source for propulsion, either through direct combustion in modified gas turbines or via fuel cells that generate electricity to power electric motors. This field focuses on hydrogen production, storage, propulsion integration, safety, and aircraft design, offering a promising pathway towards reducing aviation emissions and achieving more sustainable air transport.

The study of energy conversion processes that generate thrust for aerospace and transportation systems. This field focuses on combustion phenomena, propulsion technologies, fuel utilisation, engine design, performance optimisation, and emissions reduction, supporting the development of efficient, reliable, and sustainable propulsion systems for aircraft, spacecraft, rockets, and advanced mobility applications.

Virtual representations of physical assets, systems, or processes that are continuously updated using real-time data, simulations, and analytics. Digital twin technology enables monitoring, prediction, optimisation, and decision-making throughout the lifecycle of complex engineering systems, with applications in aerospace, manufacturing, energy, transportation, and smart infrastructure.

The study of the mutual interaction between fluid flows and structural responses, where aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, or thermal loads cause structural deformation that, in turn, influences the surrounding flow field. This multidisciplinary field combines fluid mechanics, structural dynamics, and computational modelling to analyse and optimise the performance, stability, and reliability of systems such as aircraft wings, wind turbines, spacecraft, bridges, and marine structures.

The study of the strength, durability, and reliability of engineering structures throughout their operational life, combined with techniques to improve performance while minimising weight, cost, and material usage. This field integrates structural analysis, fatigue and damage assessment, advanced materials, and optimisation methods to design safer, lighter, and more efficient aerospace, automotive, energy, and civil engineering systems.

The study of noise generation, propagation, and control associated with fluid flows and aerodynamic systems. This field combines aerodynamics, acoustics, computational modelling, and experimental techniques to understand and reduce noise from aircraft, drones, wind turbines, propulsion systems, and industrial equipment, improving environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance, and passenger and community comfort.

The study and application of technologies and strategies for controlling the generation, transfer, and dissipation of heat in engineering systems. This field focuses on maintaining safe and efficient operating temperatures in aircraft, spacecraft, electric vehicles, batteries, fuel cells, electronic systems, and energy infrastructure, thereby enhancing performance, reliability, safety, and lifespan.

The study of fluid systems involving two or more phases, such as gas-liquid, liquid-solid, or liquid-liquid mixtures, and the interactions occurring at the interfaces between them. This field investigates flow behaviour, heat and mass transfer, phase change, and interfacial phenomena to support applications in aerospace, energy systems, chemical processing, thermal management, environmental engineering, and advanced manufacturing.

The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques with multi-physics modelling to accelerate the simulation of complex systems involving interacting physical phenomena, such as fluid flow, structural mechanics, heat transfer, electromagnetics, and chemical processes. This field aims to enhance prediction accuracy, reduce computational costs, enable real-time analysis, and support design optimisation across aerospace, energy, manufacturing, and advanced engineering applications.