Research

Discrete Element Modelling

As part of my PhD I wrote a Discrete Element Model (DEM) to investigate the feedback between erosion and tectonic forcing in the growth of mountain belts (orogenesis). This type of model is composed of a large number of particles that interact through contact forces and boundary conditions. Forced components are summed for each particle and numerically integrated. They are particularly good for simulating materials in which large relative displacements of adjacent particles occur and thus provide an alternative to Finite Element Models whose behaviour is often limited by continuum assumptions.

Mountain Building

I took Physics for my first degree as I wanted to understand the way the world worked. My love of the oudoors made it a natural continuation to want to understand the way in which mountains evolve.

Complex Systems and Earthquake Predictability

My EPSERC funded NANIA postdoc, working with Ian Main, extends my research base to include earthquake rupture simulation. It is hoped that by understanding far from equilibrium, near critical systems we should be able to investigate the limits of earthquake predictability.

Granular Flows

Granular materials exhibit many unusual properties. They have a memory, in trying to mix them spontaneous segregation often occurs and they have many industrial applications.