Research group

Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics

Aerospace engineer

Our group undertakes top-class research on fundamental fluid dynamics, applied aerodynamics, flow control, flight dynamics and aeroacoustics.

Part of Engineering

About

We undertake world-class research in aerodynamics and mechanics of flight whereby technological advancements achieved in our group can benefit academia, industry and society.

Our interactive and collegial community includes experts in:

  • theoretical, computational and experimental fluid mechanics
  • data-driven modelling and control

Using world-class experimental facilities and in-house computer simulation and modelling codes, we explore the underlying physics of fluid flow and control mechanisms. Our aim is to improve the aerodynamics and flight mechanics of the next generation of aerospace applications.

We proud to host the Airbus Noise Technology Centre. We also work with 2 Rolls-Royce University technology centres which carry out research into:

Research areas

Our main research areas include:

  • flow instability, transition and turbulence
  • compressible or high-speed flow
  • biomimetic or urban or industrial aerodynamics
  • aeroacoustics and aeroelasticity
  • complex or multiphase fluid flow
  • combustion and propulsion
  • high-resolution optical flow diagnostics
  • high-order DNS or LES and supercomputing technology
  • data-driven modelling and control theory

People, projects and publications

People

Dr John Lawson

Lecturer

Research interests

  • Turbulent and particle laden flows
  • Optical diagnostics development (e.g. 3D particle tracking and PIV, LIF)
  • Multiphase flows with mass transfer

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Neil Sandham

Professor of Aerospace Engineering

Research interests

  • Transonic aerodynamics of wings
  • Hypersonic flows with transition to turbulence
  • Flow over rough surfaces
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Dr Pushpender Sharma

Research Fellow in Flow Simulation

Research interests

  • Numerical simulation of transitional and turbulent flows
  • High-speed flows with shock boundary layer interaction (SBLI)
  • High-performance computing using OpenSBLI solver
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Professor Ralf Deiterding

Professor

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Sean Symon

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Data assimilation and optimization
  • Reduced-order modelling
  • Flow control

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Swathi Krishna

Lecturer

Research interests

  • Unsteady vortex dominated flows
  • Experimental aerodynamics
  • Flow diagnostics

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Temistocle Grenga

Lecturer

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Zheng-Tong Xie PhD,FRMetS

Professor

Research interests

  • Aerodynamics
  • CFD
  • Turbulence

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Zhiwei Hu

Associate Professor
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