Simon Barrans

Simon Barrans is a Professor in the Department of Engineering at the School of Computing and Engineering, University of Huddersfield. He is a member of the Centre for Engineering Materials and the Centre for Efficiency and Performance Engineering. His educational background includes a degree in Nuclear Engineering from Manchester University and a PhD focused on enhancing finite element analysis boundary stress predictions (awarded 1996).

Research Interests: Professor Barrans specializes in mechanical engineering domains including structural integrity of turbocharger systems, air bearings, multi-criteria optimization, and finite element analysis. His work emphasizes practical applications in fatigue prediction, material coatings, and turbomachinery, with recent projects targeting rail electrification and composite footbridge design. Key methodologies include computational modeling, experimental validation, and design optimization.

Publication Trends: His 91 publications consistently address mechanical durability, predictive modeling, and material performance. Recent articles (2021-2025) focus on fatigue analysis in machined components, friction-surfaced coatings, turbine/compressor fluid dynamics, and rail infrastructure innovations, demonstrating a strong integration of finite element analysis and experimental mechanics.

Awards: No scientific awards are mentioned in the provided data.

Projects and Advising: He leads projects such as:

• Innovative product design methodologies for rail electrification (2017-2020)
• FRP footbridge development for rail safety (2020-2022)

He accepts PhD students and supervises research in mechanical design and materials engineering. Grant activities emphasize industry-academia collaboration in rail and energy sectors.

Laboratories and Teams: He collaborates with the Turbocharger Research Institute (where he was appointed Reader in 2014) and leads investigations in the Centre for Efficiency and Performance Engineering, focusing on experimental mechanics and computational simulations.