Dr Harry Coules
MEng, PhD, CEng
Expertise
Current positions
Senior Lecturer in Structual Integrity
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
My research focusses on the integrity of engineering structures and materials, often dealing with high-dependability metallic components in the energy sector. It includes the mechanics of failure processes (eg. fracture and high-temperature creep), analysis of factors which affect structural integrity (eg. residual stresses) and the development of approximate methods for practical integrity analysis. I am also interested in the manufacture of components for high-dependability applications and often work on welding processes and on the mechanics of additive-manufactured materials. My research typically uses a mix of experimental and modelling/analytical approaches. On the experimental side I have particular interests in residual stress measurement, engineering applications of neutron diffraction and fracture mechanics testing. On the modelling side I am interested in analysis of defects in structures, constitutive models of materials for failure prediction and stress field reconstruction. Companies I currently work with include EDF Energy, Frazer-Nash Consultancy and TWI.
I frequently have funded opportunities for PhD study available and I welcome enquiries from prospective students. Examples of PhD projects I currently supervise are: properties of additive-manufactured nickel superalloys, effects of residual stress on non-brittle fracture and probabilistic failure assessment.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Creep-plasticity interaction in high-temperature reactor materials
Principal Investigator
Description
Creep and creep-fatigue of reactor internal components are life-limiting factors for Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors and a key design consideration for future fission and fusion reactor designs. This project uses advanced…Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
05/10/2020 to 04/10/2024
Predictive damage analytics of additive manufactured materials
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has a large potential in adapting simultaneously functionality, processing, and materials, but it currently lacks repeatability and reliability of parts. Several initiatives were recently launched to benchmark…Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
19/11/2019 to 18/11/2023
Multi-scale Characterisation of Residual Stress in AGR Fuel Cladding
Role
Co-Principal Investigator
Description
Residual stresses in the stainless steel cladding of spent Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor fuel elements affect their behaviour during storage. For example, in a fuel storage pond the cladding can experience…Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
01/11/2019 to 31/10/2023
The effect of corrosion, biofouling and welding processes on Nickel-Aluminium Bronze components exposed to the marine environment
Principal Investigator
Description
Nickel-Aluminium Bronze (NAB) is widely used in seawater-contacting marine components such as external fixings, propellers and valves due to its good corrosion resistance and biofouling resistance. However, the development of…Managing organisational unit
Department of Mechanical EngineeringDates
23/09/2019 to 08/03/2024
8461 EPSRC EP/T517239/1 H Coules Catapult
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical EngineeringDates
01/07/2019 to 30/06/2023
Thesis supervisions
Microstructure and the characterisation of mechanical properties of Wire + Arc Additively Manufactured nickel-base superalloys
Supervisors
Fatigue properties of triangular and octet-truss lattices
Supervisors
Experiments and their numerical twins in Rayleigh-Taylor instability
Supervisors
Development of an engineering assessment procedure for predicting notch fracture toughness using a constraint-based approach.
Supervisors
Evaluation of bending fatigue life for bridge stay cables subjected to vibration
Supervisors
The effect of prior plastic strain on fracture initiation
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
08/03/2024Biofouling and corrosion rate of welded Nickel Aluminium Bronze in natural and simulated seawater
Biofouling
A novel unified constraint parameter based on plastic strain energy
Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics
Knowledge gaps in fitness-for-service assessment procedures; summary of the 2nd ‘Mind the Gap’ workshop
International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping
Nonlinear cable-deck interaction vibrations of cable-stayed bridges
Journal of Sound and Vibration
Statistical analysis of residual stresses in austenitic pipe girth welds
Science and Technology of Welding and Joining
Related people
Professor Martyn Pavier
Emeritus Professor
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
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 Nicolas Larrosa
Senior Lecturer
School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering