Research

We are a world leading research group in the area of Civil Engineering Fluid Mechanics

The Fluid Mechanics Section is one of seven groups within the 5-star rated Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. It has ten academic staff members with a diverse range of research interests. These can be broadly split into two themes: 

Research Areas

Coastal, waves and renewable energy

* Categorisation of real sea states
* Extreme wave modeling: application to offshore and coastal engineering
* Mean flow circulation patterns in estuarine and coastal environment
* Fluid-structure interactions: involving both offshore and coastal structures
* Wave and current transformation processes in nearshore waters
* Experimental fluid mechanics
* Fluid loading and flow-induced vibration
* Renewable energy in the marine environment: resources and devices

Environmental Fluid Mechanics

* Computational fluid mechanics
* Airflows in buildings-natural and hybrid ventilation
* Fire and smoke movement in tunnels and buildings
* Local exhaust ventilation systems
* Sediment transport: beach erosion and accretion
* Surf zone dynamics
* Jets, plumes and buoyancy driven flow

An overview of current research activity can be obtained by reference to the academic staff and researchers lists below. 

Academic staff and on-going postgraduate research

Fluid Mechanics Academic and Teaching Staff A-Z
Photo Details

Henry Burridge

Senior Lecturer in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, PhD
Transport of heat and mass by convection; Convection in the built environment; Effective ventilation of buildings; Modification of natural materials for use in buildings.

Adrian Callaghan

Senior Lecturer, PhD
Director of MSc Engineering Fluid Mechanics for the Offshore, Coastal and Built Environments
Breaking waves; Surface water waves; Two-phase flows; Air-entrainment; Upper ocean turbulence. 

Marios Christou

Senior Lecturer in Fluid Mechanics and Mathematics, PhD, DIC, MEng, ACGI
Metocean, Offshore and coastal engineering; Wave statistics; Freak/rogue waves; Analysis of field measurements; Wave-structure interaction; Wave-vessel interaction; Infragravity waves; Side-by-side and tandem offloading; Boundary Element Modelling.

John Craske

Senior Lecturer, Imperial College Research Fellow, PhD
Undergraduate Examinations Officer
Building physics; Buoyancy-driven turbulence; Jets and plumes; Numerical analysis; Inverse problems; Adjoint methods; Flow optimisation; Data assimilation.

Graham Hughes

Chair in Environmental Fluid Mechanics, PhD
Head of Fluid Mechanics Section
Buoyancy-driven flows; Stratified turbulence and mixing; Convection; Turbulent plumes and jets; Flow energetics.

Ioannis Karmpadakis

Lecturer in Coastal Engineering, PhD
Coastal engineering, wave heights, crest heights, wave breaking, coastal structures, nonlinear waves, shallow water depths, statistics
Email Ioannis

Li Ma

Lecturer in Fluid-Structure Interaction, PhD, DIC, MEng, ACGI
Fluid-structure interaction; Renewable energy systems; Extreme waves; Load statistics; Reliability; Hydrodynamic impacts; Wave-in-deck; Convective flows
Email Li

Costanza Rodda

Lecturer in Fluid Mechanics, PhD
Geophysical fluid mechanics, wave-vortex interactions, turbulence, buoyancy-driven flows, building ventilation, laboratory experiments, data-driven modelling

Daniel Valero Huerta

Senior Lecturer, PhD
Hydraulic engineering; Hydraulic infrastructure; River flows; Multiphase flows; Plastic in rivers; Air-water flows; Sediment-laden flows

Maarten van Reeuwijk 

Professor of Urban Fluid Mechanics, BSc MSc PhD
Buoyancy driven flows; Atmospheric and oceanic turbulence; Sustainable cities; Flow and dispersion in urban canopies; Heat and mass transfer; Direct Numerical Simulation; Large-eddy simulation.
Fluid Mechanics Academics A-Z
Fluid Mechanics

Download our Departmental Research Brochure

Fluid Mechanics Research Staff A-Z
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Barnaby Dobson

Imperial College Research Fellow, PhD
Keywords: Water resources modelling; Optimization; Uncertainty and systems analysis; 
Project: Integrated urban water cycle modelling for London (as part of the Camellia project)
Email Barnaby

Alice Handy

Research Associate, PhD
Keywords: Urban fluid mechanics, building ventilation and pollutant dispersion
Project: SAMHE investigating indoor air quality in schools
Email Alice

Jingzi Huang

Research Assistant
Keywords: large eddy simulations, urban fluid mechanics, transport.
Project: 
Effect of urban heterogeneity on atmospheric flow. 
Email Jingzi

Dipanjan Majumdar

Research Associate
Turbulence at the Exascale: Application to Wind Energy, Green Aviation, Air Quality and Net-zero Combustion
Email Dipanjan

Paul Mannix

Research Associate
Project: Prediction and control of stratifications using probabilistic methods (as part of [D*]stratify)
Keywords: Probabilistic methods, Adjoint optimisation, Hydrodynamic stability, Optimisation
Email Paul

Kat Roberts

Research Associate, PhD
Schools' air quality monitoring for health and education
Email Kat

Samuel Wood

Research Associate, PhD
Developing models to better understand the role that building ventilation plays in the spread of Covid-19
Email Sam
Fluid Mechanics Research Staff A-Z
Fluid Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics Research Students A-Z
PhotoDetails

Umniya Al Khalili

Started Oct 2022
Numerical simulation of waves over coastal bathymetries
Supervised by: Christou, M.Karmpadakis, I.
Email Umniya
Yusuf Almalki

Yusuf Almalki

Started Jan 2020
Coastal waves / Floating bodies
Supervised by: Swan, C.; Karmpadakis, I.
Email Yusuf

Nada Alsulaiman

Started Feb 2021
Numerical modelling of the thermal effluent of power plants in a shallow, semi-enclosed bay
Supervised by: Piggot, M; van Reeuwijk, M.
Email Nada
Vasilis Bellos

Vasilis Bellos

Started Jan 2020
Wave propagation over complex coastal bathymetry
Supervised by: Karmpadakis, I.; Swan, C.
Email Vasilis
Rui Cao

Rui Cao

Started Nov 2018
Breaking wave energy dissipation, air entrainment and bubble statistics in the absence & presence of wind forcing
Supervised by: Callaghan, A; Swan, C.
Email Rui

Lianzheng Cui

Started Oct 2022
Turbulent entrainment in stratified oceanic multiphase flows
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.Hughes, G.
Email Lianzheng
 Lei Dai

Lei Dai

Started Oct 2020
The effective modelling of hydrodynamic impacts
Supervised by: Ma, L.; Swan, C.
Email Lei

Lizzie Ellison

Started Oct 2018 
Carbon dioxide sequestration through ocean fertilization and potential for harvest of calcium carbonate from marine organisms
As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering
Supervised by: Mashayek, ACheeseman, C.R.
Email Lizzie
Pu Gong

Pu Gong

Started May 2018
Numerical study of the natural ventilation driven by an occupant’s heat output considering the effect of radiation
Supervised by: Hughes, G.Burridge, H.C
Email Pu
Steven Huo

Steven (Cheong) Huo

Started Oct 2019
Development of a probabilistic wave loading model for offshore structural designs
Supervised by: Swan, C.; Ma, L.Karmpadakis, I.
Email Steven
Canwei Jin

Canwei Jin

Started Jan 2022
Peering inside breaking waves
Supervised by: Callaghan, ACraske, J
Email Canwei
 Cleo Jongedijk

Cleo Jongedijk

Started Dec 2017
Lagrangian tracking of plastic particles in coastal areas and evaluation of beaching
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M., Alsina, J.
Email Cleo

Younmo Lee

Started Apr 2017
Wave-structure and wave vessel interactions
Supervised by: Swan, C.; Ma, L.
Email Younmo

Lucy Xinlu Mao

Started Oct 2021
The reliability of offshore floating wind farms
Supervised by: Swan, C.; Ma, L.Karmpadakis, I.
Email Lucy

Sam Owens

Started Oct 2019
Towards real-time simulation of urban air quality and microclimate
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
Email Sam
 Xiwu Pang

Xiwu Pang

Started Nov 2021
Simulating fluid load on offshore wind turbines
Supervised by: Christou, M.
Email Xiwu

Joe Peach

Started Oct 2019
Measuring the space and time evolution of the geometric, kinematic and dynamic properties of oceanic breaking waves
Supervised by: Callaghan, A; Benetazzo, A; Bidlot, J.
Email Joe
Nick Reynard

Nick Reynard

Started Oct 2018

As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering
Supervised by: Mashayek, ACheeseman, C.R.
Email Nick

Rodrigo Ribeiro

Started Sep 2020
Uncovering the criteria for ship-contrail formation using high fidelity simulations
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
Email Rodrigo

Chenduo Wang

Started Oct 2022
Understanding stochastic behavior of passive tracers transport and thermal effects in built environment
Supervised by: Craske, JHughes, G.
Email Chenduo
Chris Wilson

Chris Wilson

Started Oct 2021
Quantifying variability of the surface energy balance in heterogeneous vegetated urban areas
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
Email Chris

William Wright

Started Oct 2023
Addressing coastal erosion: Stochastic modelling of shoreline evolution under a changing climate
Supervised by: Craske, JKarmpadakis, I.
Email William
Fluid Mechanics Research Students A-Z
Fluid Mechanics

A good impression of our research interests and activities is also given by reviewing abstracts of completed Postgraduate research.

Completed PhD Research

Fluid Mechanics Alumni 2020-2023

2023

NameTitle and supervisor
Baker, Lois The generation, propagation, and mixing of oceanic Lee waves
Supervised by: Mashayek, A. 
Constantin-Cosmin, Craciunescu Physical Properties of Breaking Waves in Unidirectional Sea States
Supervised by: Christou, M.
Mader, Johanna Forward and inverse modelling of thermal stratifications in confined spaces
Supervised by: Craske, J.

2022

NameTitle and supervisor
Higton, Thomas The fluid mechanics of unbalanced horizontal exchange flows in naturally ventilated buildings
Supervised by: Burridge, H.C
Hossain, Md Rakib Reconstructing flow from thermal wall imprint
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.; Craske, J.
Vouriot, Carolanne The potential for spatial variations in exposure and infection risk within a typical UK classroom: COVID-19 as a case study
Supervised by: Burridge, H.Cvan Reeuwijk, M.
Zve, Sotiria Nonlinear interactions in random seas and crest-height statistics for sea-states in finite water depth
Supervised by: Swan, C.Hughes, G.

2021

NameTitle and supervisor
Bangun, Emma Nonlinear forcing, response and damping of Oscillating Water Columns
Supervised by: Swan, C., 
Dieu, Emily Mixing and transport in inclined gravity currents
Supervised by: Hughes, G.
Fiuza Dosil, Daniel Improved models for natural displacement ventilation
Supervised by: Burridge, H.CHughes, G.
Gray, Alexander Extreme waves under significant wind stress
As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering
Supervised by: Swan, C., Christou, M.
Jordan, Owen Huw
(MPhil only)
Turbulent plumes in a uniform crosswind
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.Vassilicos, J.C. 
Le Cornec, Clemence Real-world variability, modelling and mitigation of road transport emissions
Supervised by: Stettler, MEJ.van Reeuwijk, M.
Satheesh Kumar Nair, Vishnu Particle and droplet dynamics at cloud-environment interfaces
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
Sutzl, Birgit  Rising from the ground: Distributed drag parameterization of urban environments for numerical weather prediction
As part of the CDT in Mathematics of Planet Earth
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.Cotter, C.; Rooney, G (Met Office)

2020

NameTitle and supervisor
Capril-Carniere Auwerter,  Liliane Low friction surfaces for water transmission
As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.Cheeseman, C.Tempelton, M.
Eichentopf, Sonja Beach morphodynamics under sequences of high and low energy wave conditions
Supervied by: Christou, M.; Alsina, J. 
Grylls, Tom Large-eddy simulation of air quality and building energy efficiency in urban areas 
As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering 
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
Fluid Mechanics Alumni 2010-2019

2019

NameTitle and supervisor
Beyer, Magnus Nonlinear interactions of waves with arbitraily-sheared currents
Supervised by: Swan, C.
Hadjigeorgiou, Demetris Nonlinear wave interactions in realistic sea states
Supervised by: Swan, C.Christou, M.
Karmpadakis, Ioannis Wave statistics in intermediate and shallow water depths
Supervised by: Swan, C.Christou, M.
Padilla de la Torre, Enrique Wave-group propagation and hydrodynamics in the inner surf and swash zones
Supervised by: Swan, C.; Alsina, J.
Suter, Ivo Simulating the impact of blue-green infrastructure on the microclimate of urban areas
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.

2018

NameTitle and supervisor
Alpresa Gutierrez, Paola Fluid dynamics of orbitally-shaken shallow fluid layers
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.; Sherwin, S.Weinberg, P. 
Kaisman, Erwan Hafizi Numerical modelling of wave interactions with a vertical surface-piercing column. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: 
Ma, Li The effective modelling of wave-in-deck loads. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First destination: Post-doc position in the Fluid Mechanics Section

2017

NameTitle and supervisor
Makri, Isavella Hydrodynamics of floating offshore wind turbines. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Christou, M.
First Destination: 
De Lutio, Livio Extreme waves in intermediate and shallow water depth [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Senior Analyst, Data Science & Analytics at Criteo
Bruggemann, Mark Floating body hydrodynamics: A load driven approach. [Read the abstract]
Supervisor: Spinneken, J., Swan, C.
First Destination: Evergreen Innovations

2016

NameTitle and supervisor
Aknin, David Creating a shallow-water experimental wave environment. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Spinneken, J., Swan, C.
First Destination: Operations Assistant Manager on the ECO scheme at Ofgem
Craske, John Unsteady turbulent jets and plumes. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.
First Destination: Academic position at Imperial College
Haley, Joe Fluid forcing in the crests of large ocean waves. ‌[Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Shell
Rodriguez, Marcos The nonlinear wave loading and dynamic response of a freely-floating two-dimensional box. [Read the abstract]
Supervisor: Spinneken, J., Swan, C.
First Destination: Offshore Structural Engineer, Ramboll (Offshore Wind)

2014

NameTitle and supervisor
Acred, Andy Natural ventilation in multi-storey buildings: a preliminary design approach. [Read the abstract][Read the abstract]
Supervised by: van Reeuwijk, M.Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Research Associate, University of Cambridge
Shrinivas, Ajay Balasubramanian Unconfined and confined turbulent plumes and jets in stratified environments. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Hunt, G.R., van Reeuwijk, M.
First Destination: 
Latheef, Mohamed Surface wave statistics in directionally spread seas. [Read the abstract]
Supervisor: Spinneken, J., Swan, C.
First Destination: 

2013

NameTitle and supervisor
Ely, Alice Numerical modelling of viscous and turbulent free-surface flows using smoothed particle hydrodynamics. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Scientist, Hydrodynamics & Metocean Group, HR Wallingford
Connick, Owen The fluid mechanics of hybrid ventilation. ‌
Supervised by: Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Technology Analyst at ClearViewIP
Burridge, Henry The behaviour of miscible Boussinesq fountains in uniform quiescent environments. [Read the abstract][Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Post-doctoral researcher, University of Cambridge
Lynch, Paul
Aspects of the fluid mechanics of night-purging multi-storey atrium buildings. [Read the abstract]
Supervisor: Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Engineer, ARUP

2012

NameTitle and supervisor
Peric, Milena Nonlinear wave interactions with multiple bodies in close proximity. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Civil and environmental engineer, ASMEC, Serbia

2011

NameTitle and supervisor
Ezzamel, Adam Free and confined buoyant flows. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Senergy Energy Services
Myrtroeen, Joergen Negatively buoyant fluid projectiles. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Hunt, G.R.
First Destination: Trainee in SN Power
Roos, Jannicke Wave-structure interaction. The effective prediction of wave-in-deck loads. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C. 
First Destination: Management Consultant, McKinsey & Co.
Spentza, Eirini Nonlinear wave interactions with fixed and floating bodies leading to unexpected wave impacts. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Metocean engineer at GL Noble Denton
Archibald, Stuart Modelling of extreme ocean waves using high-performance computing. [Read the abstract]
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Technical member of staff at OpenGamma
Fluid Mechanics Alumni 2000-2009

2009

NameTitle and supervisor
Economidou, Marina Transient buoyancy-driven flows in multi-storey buildings -- the fluid mechanics
Supervised by: Professor G. R. Hunt
First Destination: Senior Expert in Energy Efficiency at Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE)
Spinneken, Johannes Wave generation and absorption using force-feedback control
Supervisor: Swan, C. 
First Destination: Lecturer, Imperial College London
Larice, Giuliana Classifying steady states in emptying-filling boxes
Supervisor: Professor G. R. Hunt 
First Destination: Management Consultant, PWC
Cooper, Jonathan The role of atria in the passive ventilation of multi-storey buildings
Supervisor: Professor G. R. Hunt 
First Destination: Civil Engineer, Transport for London
Radomski, Simon Ventilation driven by complex heat distributions
Supervised by: Professor G. R. Hunt.
First Destination: Anglican Church

2006

NameTitle and supervisor
Hague, Caroline Fully nonlinear computations of directional waves, including wave breaking
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: MSc in Web Intelligence at King's College London
Masterton, Stephen Nonlinear wave-structure interaction: scattering, forcing and dynamic response
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Shell International Exploration & Production B.V.
Allgayer, David Air and heat movement by revolving doors 
Supervised by: Professor G. R. Hunt
First Destination: Structural Engineer, Expedition Engineering
Coffey, Chris The fluid mechanics of emptying boxes
Supervised by: Professor G. R. Hunt
First Destination: Ministry of Defence
Christou, Marios Fully nonlinear computations of waves and wave-structure interaction
Supervised by: Swan, C. 
First Destination: Shell International Exploration & Production B.V.
Syrios, Kostas Natural ventilation of buildings in urban canyons
Supervised by: Professor G. R. Hunt

2005

NameTitle and supervisor
Katsardi, Vasiliki (Vanessa) Surface water waves in intermediate and shallow water depths
Supervised by: Swan, C.
Tzivanaki, Kalliopi (Kelly) The measurement of surface water waves simultaneously in space and time  
Supervised by: Swan, C. 
First Destination: Researcher, National Technical University of Athens

2004

NameTitle and supervisor
Sheikh, Rizwan Wave scattering from a vertical, surface-piercing cylinder 
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: Shell International Exploration & Production B.V.,
Gibson, Richard Wave interactions and wave statistics in directional seas
Supervised by: Swan, C.
First Destination: British Petroleum (BP)

2002

NameTitle and supervisor
Fung, C F (Chak Fai)  The structure of air-flow over waves
Supervised by: Swan, C.

2000

NameTitle and supervisor
Bateman, Will  Numerical modelling of extreme 3-D waves
Supervised by: Swan, C.
James, Richard  Nonlinear wave-current interactions
Supervised by: Swan, C.
Chamberlain, Neil  Oil spills in a wave environment
Supervised by: Swan, C.
Fluid Mechanics Alumni 1990-1999

PhD Applicants

The Fluid Mechanics section welcomes PhD applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic students with a good first degree in a relevant discipline. Please see our Postgraduate research (PhD) page for more information.

Research Collaboration

Research collaboration with researchers from other universities and institutes is welcomed where complementary capabilities can be used to address current problems. For enquiries please contact Professor Chris Swan.

Consultancy

Many of our academics offer consultancy and expert witness services to Industry and Government, putting their expert knowledge into practice to address engineering problems all over the world. For more information please visit the Department's consultancy pages.