Plenary Speakers

Professor Hrvoje Jasak (University of Cambridge)

Professor Hrvoje Jasak has a first degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Zagreb (1992), and a PhD in CFD from Imperial College London, with Prof. A.D. Gosman (1993-1996). He was a Senior Development Engineer at CD-adapco (now Siemens PLM) (1996-2000), Technical Director at Nabla Ltd (2000-2006), and has worked on new generation software at Ansys-Fluent Inc. (2000-2008). Hrvoje is one of the two original co-authors of OpenFOAM, Chair of the OpenFOAM Numerics Technical Committee and a member of OpenFOAM Governance Steering Committee. 

His research interests are on numerical simulation methods, mathematical modelling of continuum phenomena and numerical mathematics, numerical modelling in multi-phase and free surface flows, naval hydrodynamics and wave modelling, dynamic mesh handling, error estimation, mesh adaptivity and practical software development. He is particularly experienced in numerical modelling of complex heat and mass transfer systems and multi-physics applications. Hrvoje is a professional programmer with 25 years of experience in C++ and object-oriented software design, high performance computing, linear algebra on HPC platforms and related topics. In his career he has managed large software projects and wrote approx. 1 million lines of C++ source code.

Talk Title: Multi-Physics Coupling Algorithms with OpenFOAM 

Abstract

OpenFOAM is an established library for numerical simulation in continuum mechanics, covering problems of fluid flow, stress analysis and other continuum physics phenomena.  The software mimics the language of field variables and partial differential equations, providing a good platform for multiple non-linear interacting systems. However, in the area of inter-equation coupling, and especially strongly coupled non-linear systems, parts of the software framework are lacking. This includes multiple domains to be solved in conjugate coupled manner where coupling occurs on boundaries (such as conjugate heat or conjugate current problems), to strongly coupled strongly non-linear equation sets with volumetric coupling).  In this talk, we shall review various methods of coupling, consequences on software design and present some examples of strongly coupled conjugate systems, ranging from block-implicit fluid flow solvers, fluid-solid interaction and electro-chemistry problems.

Professor Benedict Rogers (The University of Manchester)

Ben is a Professor of Computational Hydrodynamics and civil engineer.  His research focuses on the fundamental development and application of novel simulations of free-surface flows, hydrodynamics and multi-phase mixing phenomena. After reading Engineering Science with first class honours and a doctorate at the University of Oxford, in 2002 he moved to the US to work at the Johns Hopkins University on coastal engineering research starting a sustained period focusing on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH).  Since 2005, he has been at the University of Manchester. He is a founding member of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics rEsearch and engineeRing International Community (SPHERIC), the international organisation representing the development and use of SPH, a core developer of the leading open-source SPH code DualSPHysics (http://www.dual.sphysics.org) and is the leader of the SPH Specialist Group 'SPH@Manchester'.  He has twice received the Thomas Telford Premium Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers for work on SPH for tsunamis and received the Joe Monaghan Prize with co-authors in 2022 for progress on the SPH Grand Challenges. 

Talk Title: Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) for free-surface flows: In search of meshless freedom or folly?

Abstract

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) has long promised to revolutionise the simulation of fluid mechanics and free-surface hydrodynamics, with natural application in coastal and offshore engineering.  Appearing as an intuitive, mathematically elegant method free of the constraints of a computational mesh and ideally suited to hardware acceleration, its development into a mature method has steadily progressed.  Particular successes have been achieved for application to fluid-structure interaction problems such as wave energy converters, automotive applications, etc.  However, key challenges remain.  Considered to be at a "tipping point" by industry for its application, we will assess the current state-of-the-art and remaining challenges. 

Professor Xueyu Geng (University of Warwick) 

Professor Geng is the Cluster Lead for Built Environment and Sustainability at the School of Engineering, University of Warwick, UK. She is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). She also serves as the Deputy Chair of the British Standards Institution (BSI) B/526 Geotechnical Engineering Committee, where she co-leads, edits, and supports the development of the UK National Annex for the forthcoming edition of the Eurocode. Professor Geng is deeply committed to training the next generation of civil engineers, with a particular passion for equipping young professionals to master the design and construction of resilient civil infrastructure. 

Her research portfolio spans both fundamental and applied work in rail geotechnics, ground improvement, and the behaviour of road embankments on soft soil foundations. She collaborates closely with industry and government agencies, effectively bridging the gap between academic innovation and practical implementation. Her pioneering contributions to geotechnical engineering, particularly in the areas of problematic ground improvement and the stabilisation of transport infrastructure, have had a lasting global impact. These efforts have advanced scientific understanding of ground behaviour and have driven tangible changes in industry practice, including revisions to national and international design standards. 

Talk Title: Advancing Fracture and Deformation Modelling related to Geotechnical Engineering through Peridynamics 

Abstract

Peridynamics is an emerging nonlocal modelling framework designed to overcome the limitations of classical continuum mechanics (CCM) in predicting material failure, especially in the presence of cracks and large deformations. This talk introduces a robust peridynamic framework tailored for geotechnical engineering applications, with a particular focus on deformation and fracture processes in geomaterials such as unsaturated soils and cemented rockfills. By incorporating soil elastoplasticity and suction effects, and extending the formulation to a general updated Lagrangian approach, the developed models offer enhanced predictive capabilities. These advancements also ensure compatibility with conventional constitutive laws and enable seamless numerical implementation. Applications span a range of geotechnical scenarios, including tensile cracking, desiccation effects, and large-strain failures, offering new insights into longstanding engineering challenges.

Dr Evzen Korec (University of Oxford)  - UKACM 2024 Roger Owen Prize

Dr Evzen Korec is an interdisciplinary researcher working on the chemo-mechanical degradation of engineering materials. Korec’s work bridges the gap between traditional research in civil engineering, mechanics, and chemistry, mostly through physics-based computational modelling based on variational methods and continuum mechanics.  Fascinated by applied mathematics and civil engineering while growing up in the Czech Republic, he attended Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU), where he earned his BSc and MSc in Structural and Transportation Engineering. After completing his PhD at Imperial College London’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, conducting mathematical modelling of corrosion-induced cracking in reinforced concrete, he joined Oxford University’s Mechanics of Materials Lab as a postdoctoral researcher focused on harnessing the power of chemo-mechanical damage to increase the energy efficiency for the processing and recycling of concrete rubble. Korec was awarded the 2024 UKACM Roger Owen Award for his PhD thesis. 

Talk Title: From Rust to Ruin: Unravelling the Multiphysics Modelling of Corrosion-Induced Cracking in Reinforced Concrete   

Abstract

My lecture will explore the numerical modelling of corrosion-induced cracking in reinforced concrete. This phenomenon is the major cause of premature degradation in reinforced concrete structures, with estimates suggesting that 70–90% of such structures deteriorate early due to corrosion of steel reinforcement. In severe cases, this can lead to sudden structural collapse, as observed in reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels in 2018 at Singlewell Primary School, UK—an event that led to the closure of over 100 schools in England. Historically, this topic has been approached separately by corrosion chemists and structural engineers, resulting in a significant knowledge gap in our understanding of the underlying chemo-mechanical interactions and in the development of modelling tools capable of predicting long-term durability. Following an overview of the general mechanisms behind corrosion-induced cracking, I will present my most recent work addressing the challenges of multiphysics modelling in this context. Particular attention will be given to the critical roles played by concrete porosity and corrosion current density—two factors in the degradation process that have remained unsolved for more than 25 years. Finally, I will demonstrate the practical implications of the simulations my colleagues and I developed by revisiting the RAAC panel failures, highlighting how collapse may occur without any visible signs of cracking.