Professor David Knowles
BA, MA, PhD, F.R.ENG
Current positions
Professor of Nuclear Engineering/Director (Engineering) of South West Hub
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
My research interests are in the area of mechanical properties of materials and their interrelation with the structural integrity of components. Specifically much of my work addresses fitness for service of static and rotating components operating at high temperature or within aggressive environments in the Energy Sector.
Particular areas in which I have worked in recent years include:
- creep and creep-fatigue of high temperature components in gas turbines, petrochemical, conventional and nuclear power plant
- fatigue in offshore steel structures
- thermomechanical fatigue in petrochemical plant and gas turbine blades
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
8036 EPSRC via University of Birmingham
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Dates
01/03/2019 to 31/10/2019
Thesis supervisions
Deep Learning for Solid Mechanics with High Efficiency, Fidelity, and Practicality
Supervisors
Understanding and Modelling the Damage Evolution in CuCrZr via Mechanical Testing, Electron Microscopy, X-ray Tomography and Finite Element Simulation Techniques
Supervisors
Simulating High Temperature Deformation using Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Methods for Structural Assessment Codes
Supervisors
Understanding the influence of prior plastic loading on subsequent creep in 316H stainless steel via crystal plasticity finite element modelling
Supervisors
Crack Initiation in Carburised 316H Stainless Steels
Supervisors
Creep Deformation of 316H Weldments
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
01/01/2026Dissimilar Autogenous Electron Beam Welding for Nuclear Applications:316L joined to 10CrMo9-10
Development of a data-driven user-defined hardening model for cyclic behaviour via transformer
Materials & Design
Investigating creep damage initiation at the mesoscale using high-resolution electron microscopy, crystal plasticity modelling, and a classification algorithm
International Journal of Plasticity
Reduced-order representations of crystallographic texture for application to surrogate modelling of austenitic stainless steel
Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Residual stress-induced crack closure during fatigue crack growth in electron-beam welded 316L stainless steel
Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics
Related people
Dr Tomas Martin
Associate Professor in Materials Physics
School of Physics
Professor Christopher Truman
Professor of Solid Mechanics
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Dr Matthew Peel
Senior Lecturer
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Dr Nicolo Grilli
Lecturer
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering