Reference Guide to

Research & Development in the Department of

Mechanical Engineering

University of Cape Town

Contents and Research Entities

Welcome from the Head of Department

Why Postgraduate Study?

Postgraduate Funding

Career Possibilities and Support

EBE Postgraduate Journey

Advanced ManufacturingLaboratory

Applied Thermofluid Process Modelling Research Unit (ATProM)

Bioengineering

Blast Impact and Survivability Research Unit (BISRU)

Centre for MaterialsEngineering

Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics (CERECAM)

Composite Materials Laboratory and 3D Printing

Engineering Education

Engineering Management

Industrial Computational FluidDynamics (InCFD)

Non-Destructive Evaluation

Tutoring

Important Links

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

This is a challenging time for all of us. We have experienced anunprecedented lockdown and we have had to engage in emergencyremote teaching and learning to keep the academic project going. Thetemptation may be to only focus inwards, on the here and now.However, I want to encourage you to rather look outwards, towardyour future. You have amazing career prospects once you completeyour bachelor’s degree. Many fantastic opportunities will come yourway, but how can you ensure that you stand out from all the otherexcellent job applicants? One way to stand out is to obtain apostgraduate degree.

Besides the obvious benefits of gaining specialist technical knowledgeand skills, postgraduate study also offers the opportunity for immensepersonal development. Completing a postgraduate degree willrequire you to develop a whole range of transferable skills in areas ofproblem solving, project management, communication, criticalthinking, data analysis, organisation and time management. That iswhy we find so many engineers with postgraduate qualificationsworking as successful financial analysts, investment managers andCEOs of companies (and, of course, in engineering!).

As the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCT we havecompiled this Research Reference Guide to offer you the opportunityto look into postgraduate study.

I invite you to see for yourself the wide range of postgraduateresearch activities available. I have no doubt that this will reallybenefit your future!

Kind regardsProf. Brandon Collier-Reed

Welcome from the Head of Department

1

On completion of a bachelor’s degree everyone is eager to embark ona rewarding career with a good and stable income. An undergraduatedegree will certainly give you a head start. However, it is really onlythe starting point of a lifelong learning curve. Postgraduate study isone way of accelerating this learning process early on in your career.

While doing a postgraduate degree you will gain technical knowledgeand learn skills that will be difficult to acquire while working inindustry. You will have the opportunity to pursue a specialist area ofinterest via an individual research project under expert guidance, andmay also include selected advanced courses. Besides the obviousintellectual reward, it will enhance your personal growth in terms ofobservation, analysis, interpretation, reflection, evaluation, decisionmaking, explanation, written communication and time management.

You may be worried that if you delay entry into the job market, youcould fall behind your classmates in income and experience. Having apostgraduate degree certainly does not guarantee you a bigger salaryin your first year of employment. However, building on a strongerfoundation will enable you to gain more benefit from each day of on-the-job experience and push out the boundaries to where you cangrow. This will set you on an accelerated growth path and, witheverything else being equal, the rate at which your income grows willbe steeper. This means that over a lifetime of work your jobsatisfaction and earnings will outstrip that of many others.

We all know that investing in the future is a good thing. Like money,our time is a valuable and limited resource that we need to managecarefully. Investing in postgraduate studies now will pay handsomedividends in the future.

Prof. Pieter Rousseau

Why postgraduate study?

2

Postgraduate Funding

NRF POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FOR FULL-TIME STUDIES IN 2021

The NRF minimum academic requirement for postgraduate funding is65%. Applicants for honours, masters and doctoral funding must be 28, 30and 32 years of age or younger respectively in the year of application.Successful applicants will be funded either at Full Cost Study (FCS) orPartial Cost of Study (PCS). The FCS funding will be awarded to SouthAfrican citizens and permanent residents only, who are either financiallyneedy (i.e. those whose combined household family income is less orequal to R350 000 per annum), living with a disability or exceptionalacademic achievers. However, the PCS funding will be awarded to 5% ofinternational students including South African citizens and permanentresidents who could not be funded under FCS but meet other minimumrequirements for the NRF scholarship funding criteria.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAHonours: Only South African citizens and permanent residents areeligible for honours bursaries.Masters and Doctoral: are open to South African citizens, permanentresidents as well as a limited percentage of foreign nationals who will beregistering at South African public universities in 2021 on a full-time basisonly.Scholarships are intended to support honours, masters and doctoralcandidates to pursue studies in all areas of Science, Engineering,Technology, Social Sciences, and Humanities

Maximum period of support – Honours: 1 year, Masters: 2 years,Doctoral: 3 years, Extension funding: Six or Twelve months.

UCT INTERNAL DEADLINES:Masters and Doctoral First-Time Applications: 30 June 2020Extension Support for Master and Doctoral Applications: 30 June 2020Nuffic Split-Site Doctoral Applications: 30 June 2020Honours level First-Time Applications: 31 October 2020

IMPORTANT NOTE:To be eligible for UCT merit and need awards, you are required to apply forthese NRF scholarships via form 10A. UCT will reject applicationssubmitted after the UCT internal closing dates as indicated above.

Ms Bongiwe Ndimane – PG Funding Office

How to apply: https://nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za

Questions? Email : NRFFunding@uct.ac.za3

Career Possibilities and Support

WHAT WORK CAN YOU DO WITH THIS DEGREE?

• Graduates work in many different contexts in subject related work but also use their transferable skills and work in consulting, finance, data science and various entrepreneurial pursuits to name a few

• On LinkedIn, search MSc Mechanical Engineering and choose people. This will show you profiles of people with this degree and the variety of work they do

HOW THE CAREERS SERVICE CAN HELP

• Our resources help with applications, CVs, LinkedIn pages and interview preparation

• Visit our Vulapage for all resources (left side bar on the Vula landing page) or visit www.careers.uct.ac.za/students

• Book a consultation with a careers advisor by going to “Ask a question” on mycareer.uct.ac.za. We consult virtually on the platform of your choice.

• We host job expos , company webinars and presentations• We also host Career Conversations webinars where graduates talk

about their career journeys• Find advertised job opportunities on mycareer.uct.ac.za

Mrs Ingrid van der Merwe – Head : Careers Advisory

THE BENEFITS OF POSTGRADUATE STUDY

• Higher earning potential

• Gives you the edge and helps you to stand out

• You gain skills that you are not exposed to at undergraduate level

• Can start you off as a specialist but also enable cross disciplinary options

• Starting point for an academic career

ALL ABOUT EMPLOYABILITY

Employability is about being capable of getting and keeping fulfilling work, and the capability to move self sufficiently within the labour market to realisepotential through sustainable employment.

Employability is not only about your qualification . It also involves these elements:• Degree subject knowledge,

understanding and skills• Generic skills• Emotional Intelligence

• Career development learning• Experience: Life and work• Reflection and evaluation• Self confidence and self

esteem

www.uct.ac.za

mycareer.uct.ac.za

careers.service@uct.ac.za

UCTCareers

@UCTCareers

@Uctcareersservice

4

EBE Postgraduate Journey

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN EBE

EBE Postgraduate studies involves research into a specificfield. This is more specialised and in depth thanundergraduate studies, which are broader and morefoundational. The various types of postgraduate degrees inEBE include Honours, Master of Science (MSc), Master ofPhilosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Some ofthese degrees have course work components and researchcomponents while others are purely research based.

THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING POSTGRAD

Undertaking postgraduate studies gives one an opportunityto further develop and refine one’s knowledge in a field ofinterest. Postgraduate studies are not as structured asundergraduate studies enabling one to have more freedomin steering the learning process. It can also open doors toexclusive, highly skilled and intellectually stimulating jobopportunities thus increasing one’s career prospects.

SKILLS AND TOOLS GAINED AS APOSTGRAD

• Research and/or laboratory skills

• Independent learning

• Timemanagement

• Critical thinking, analysis andproblem solving skills

• Ability to tackle complex concepts, unpredictable issues and tomakeinformed decisions based onincomplete information

• Independent management ofaproject

• Communicating ideas effectively indifferent ways

POTENTIALPITFALLS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

It’s easy to get distracted or overwhelmed by the literature.It’s very common to feel like one has reached a dead end orthat one is not steering oneself in the right direction. This isnatural and does happen when trying to learn somethingnew. It can however be avoided or at least minimised byregularly checking in with one’s supervisor and talking toother researchers; within or outside of one’s field. It is alsoimportant to cultivate self-discipline and to learn to manageone’s time effectively.

Mokgadi Setshekgamollo – EBE Postgraduate Student Council Academic Chair

MSc (Eng) Electrical Engineering Specialisation

5

WHO WEARE &WHAT WE DOThe Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory (AML) is committed to enhancing thecompetitiveness of South African industry through the development of highvalue manufacturing technology as well as through growing people talent.The main research focus is on high performance machining, polishingtechnologies, manufacturing process optimization, intelligent manufacturingsystems and laser processing technologies. Since its inception, the AML hasdeveloped expertise that has assisted South African precision engineering,aerospace, tooling and automotive companies to improve their manufacturingprocesses.

Growing R&Dmanpowerfor South African industry is achieved through thedevelopmentofhighcalibregraduatesandpostgraduatesand offeringtrainingtovarious industrial partners. The AML is committed to creating intellectual capitaland contributing to industrial know how through critical research anddevelopment in thematerialsmachining andmanufacturing arena.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• High performancemachining• Polishing technologies• Manufacturingprocess optimization• Intelligent manufacturingsystem4.0• Hybrid manufacturingtechnologies• Failure analysis onmanufacturingtoolsandprocesses

RECENT RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS• Ramesh Kuppuswamy, Akinori Yui, (2017) High-speed

micromachining characteristics for the NiTi shape memoryalloys", The International Journal of Advanced ManufacturingTechnology", 93(1)11-21

• Ramesh Kuppuswamy, Nomvelo Mkhize, (2017) Near DuctileRegime Machining of Tungsten Carbide insert through Controlof Cutting Speed Parameter While Using a Poly-CrystallineDiamond Tool, Procedia Manufacturing, 8(549-556)

• Mubita Kapui & Ramesh Kuppuswamy (2017) Influence ofelectro-polishing characteristics on needle-tissue interactionforces, African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation andDevelopment, 9:6, 707-715

• Kuppuswamy, Ramesh, Zunega, Jonee, Naidoo, Samiksha (2017)Flank wear assessment on discrete machining processbehaviour for Inconel 718",The International Journal ofAdvanced Manufacturing Technology, 93(5)2097-2109

• Ramesh Kuppuswamy and Kerry Anne Airey (2018) Featureextraction on an intelligent polycrystalline diamond insert clocktesting method and prediction of product performance,Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E:Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering, 232(6), 723–733.

• Ramesh Kuppuswamy, Colin Richmond, Azeem Khan, (2019) AStudy on the role of Oil-Air Mist Lubrication on an Ultrahigh-Speed Bio-Generator, Elseveier Procedia Manufacturing, 33(107-114), ISSN 2351-9789,CONTACT DETAILS

A/Prof. Ramesh Kuppuswamy B.Eng. (Hons), M.Tech, PhD (Singapore) Email: Ramesh.kuppuswamy@uct.ac.za Phone:+ 27 21 650 4872

Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory

6

ATProM Research Unit

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• SupercriticalCO2 (sCO2)ConcentratedSolarPower(CSP)plants.• Optimizationofheatpumpsystems.• Flexibilityoffossilfiredplants(coal,gasturbinesandcombinedcycles).• Energystoragesystems.• Biomassenergyconversion.• Developmentofenergysystemforecastingmodels.

WHAT WE DO

Risingenergy demandand theimminentthreatofclimatechangearecriticalissues in societytoday.Thermofluid systemsprovidethebackboneof almostall energy conversion processes for renewable and conventional powergeneration, as well as heating and cooling systems such as heat pumps andrefrigeration cycles.

The Applied Thermofluid Process Modelling Research Unit (ATProM)specialise in modelling these systems to evaluate novel technologies,improve the efficiency and control of processes, and detect anomalies forconditionmonitoringpurposes.

Fundamental modelsarebuiltusing detail computational fluiddynamicsandintegrated one-dimensional thermofluid networks. These are oftencombined with advanced optimization techniques and data-driven modelssuchasmulti-layerperceptron,convolutional-, recursive-andvariationalautoencoderneuralnetworks, thatarederived viamachinelearningtechniques .

This unique combination of fundamental thermofluid principles and artificialintelligence techniques enable the development of accurate andcomputationallyinexpensive numerical toolstoaddressindustryneeds.

SPECIALISED FACILITIES

• SpecializedCFDandthermofluidprocessmodellingsoftware.• Accesstohighperformancecomputingcentre.• Accesstomeasurementfacilitiesatrealpowerplants.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

• Laubscher R, 2019, Time-series forecasting of coal-fired power plantreheater metal temperatures using encoder-decoder recurrent neuralnetworks,Energy,Vol189,116187.

• Akpan PU & Fuls WF, 2019, Application and limits of a constanteffectiveness model for predicting the pressure of steam condensers atoff-design loads and cooling fluid temperatures, Applied ThermalEngineering,Vol158,113779.

• Laubscher R& Rousseau PG, 2020, Coupled simulation and validationofa utility-scale pulverized coal-fired boiler radiant final-stage superheater,ThermalScienceandEngineeringProgress,Vol 18,100512.

CONTACT DETAILS

WEBSITE: www.atprom.uct.ac.za EMAIL: atprom@uct.ac.za

WHO WE ARE

Prof Pieter Rousseau, A/Prof Wim Fuls, Dr Ryno Laubscher,

Priyesh Gosai, Colin du Sart.

3

7

• Medical Research Council of SouthAfrica

AWARDS

• Inventor of the Year -Popular Mechanics -2011 (Dr GeorgeVicatos)• Cutting Edge Technology Award -Popular Mechanics -2011 (Dr

George Vicatos)• Best patent of the year -2003 (Dr GeorgeVicatos)

SPECIALISED FACILITIES

• Laser titanium alloy component formation laboratory (CUT)• Rapid prototyping equipment –Department of Architecture(UCT)

CONTACT DETAILSGeorge.vicatos@uct.ac.za

Bioengineering

WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO

Medical expertise combined with mechanical engineering skills has createdour research and application work in Bioengineering. The human skeletonand soft tissue provide the foundation to our designing and developing alarge number of implants for patients suffering from bone cancer or bonetumours. Our research focus is on implants for limb-salvage surgery andrecently on implants that require complex surface development usingmultiple software design packages. These complex implants are used inreplacementsurgeryforthescapula,thepelvis, thetrapeziumandthetalus orany other bone with a complicated surface structure. The implants aredesigned for anatomical reconstruction of the skeleton, which in most cases,offersnotonlyabettersolutionforthesmoothtransmissionof forces,butalsohelps the patient from an aesthetic perspective. Modular implant systemsdesigned by this group for both upper and lower limbs have been used insurgicaloperationsathospitals in SouthAfricaandIndia.

Research currently focuses on improving the manufacturing processesfor the implants and identifying new technologies, new choices of materials,treatment of articulating surfaces, as well as osseo-integration betweenskeletal tissue and implant. This has brought collaboration in research anddevelopment withacademicinstitutions in South AfricaandinIndia.

• Osseo-integration between natural bone and implant materials using stem cell technology

• Bio-compatible materials selection for bone implants

• Central University ofTechnology• Centre for Materials

Engineering (UCT)• Tata Memorial Hospital

Mumbai (India)• University ofStellenbosch• Department of Architecture(UCT)

SPONSORS

• Department of Surgery (UCT Medical School)

• Department of Human Biology (UCT Medical School)

• International Implant Manufacturers and Suppliers

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS

• Bioengineering implant design and softwareintegration

• Maxillo–facial reconstruction• Development of implants for use

in bone tumoursurgery• Implant materialsresearch

KEY RESEARCHCOLLABORATORS

8

BISRU

KEY RESEARCH COLLABORATORS

• Institute of Mechanics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Bulgaria)• Beijing Institute of Technology (China)• Saint Cyr Military Academy (France)• University of Sheffield(UK)• University of Southampton (UK)

SPECIALISED FACILITIES

• Blast characterisation• Material characterisation at

very high strain rates• Structural response to blast

loading• Buried charges(landmines)

• Energy absorbers in crashworthiness and blastapplication

• Prediction and measurement of human body response to blast and impact events

• Characteristics of bio-materials

• Computational software and high capacity servers for finite element analysis

• Blast chamber • Ballistic pendulum • Drop testers• DIC systems

• Composite manufacturing equipment

• Gas gun for ballistic penetration studies

• Hopkinson Bar apparatus (variable configurationsincluding tension &compression)

WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO

The Blast Impact and Survivability Research Centre (BISRU) focuses on thefundamental understanding of blast and structural impact scenarios. BISRUcurrently operates a unique suite of blast impact assessment equipmentlocated at its own test facility. Our research focus seeks to save lives andreduce the risk of injuries that may arise from extreme loading events inaddition to understanding the mechanics and dynamics of blast and impactloads. Our research activities are aimed at promoting the investigation andunderstanding of impact dynamics through both analytical, numericalsimulation and laboratory based studies. BISRU is involved in several multiyearprogrammes tostudytheloadinganddamagecausedbyexplosionsandtodevelopblastresistant lightweightmaterialsorstructures.Research inourfacilityalso seeks to understand the properties of homogeneous materials as well asbiological, cellular and multi layered materials under blast and impactconditions.

CONTACT DETAILS

Website: www.bisru.uct.ac.za

Email: steeve.chungkimyuen@uct.ac.za

SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS• Influence of venting on the response of scaled aircraft luggage containers subjected to

internal blast loading, G. S. Langdon, S. Kriek, G. N. Nurick, IJIE, Vol 141, July 2020.• Numerical analysis of cladding sandwich panels with tubular cores subjected to uniform

blast load, W. Cheng , X.Bin, S. Chung Kim Yuen, IJIE, Vol 133, November 2019.• Round-Robin test of Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar , M.A. Kariem, R.C. Santiago, R.A.

Govender, D.W. Shu, D. Ruan, G.N. Nurick, M. Alves, G. Lu, G.S. Langdon, International Journal of Impact Engineering, Vol. 126, pp 62-75, April 2019

• The behaviorof cancellous bone from quasi-static to dynamic strain rates with emphasis on the intermediate regime, M. Prot, T. J. Cloete, D. Saletti, S. Laporte, Journal of Biomechanics, Vol 49(73), May 2016.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS

9

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• High temperature and high stress performance of materials

in power plants.• Production of titanium alloy commodity products from

powder metal.• Fatigue fracture and residual stress assessment of Laser

Additive Manufactured titanium and nickel based superalloy components.

• Aluminium beverage can stock process development• Visualisation of material properties by high resolution

electron microscopy.• Biodegradable polymers and foams derived from vegetable

oils.

MOST RECENT PUBLICATION

M Steytler and R D Knutsen, (2020) ‘Identifying Challenges tothe Commercial Viability of Direct Powder Rolled Titanium: ASystematic Review and Market Analysis’, Materials, 13, 2124

Centre for Materials Engineering

KEY RESEARCH COLLABORATORSESKOMHulamin

CSIRStellenbosch University

Central University of TechnologyUniversity of Glasgow

Nelson Mandela University

WHO WE ARE WHAT WEDOThe Centre for Materials Engineering engages in research thataddresses real industry problems, and at the same timeincreases the knowledge base about materials. We investigatethe properties and behaviour of a wide range of materials,principally metal alloys but also polymers, ceramics andcomposites. Our extensive modern laboratory facilities enableadvanced characterisation and mechanical propertymeasurement, including fatigue and fracture assessment, of abroad range of engineering materials and we are able to supportlocal industrial development by providing assistance withselection of materials and optimisation of properties to suitprocess and service requirements.The strong academic and technical expertise in the Centreunderpins a thriving postgraduate activity that promotes humanresource development for local industry and also fosters thegrowth of future researchers.Our particular focus on the deformation processing of metalalloys assists in improving the competitiveness of local metalproducing industries and prepares graduates for employment inthis important South African manufacturing sector.

SPECIALISED FACILITIES• Gleeble 3800 thermo-mechanical processing simulator for the simulation

of high temperature deformation processes, solidification and welding.• Mechanical testing facilities for strength, fatigue and fracture studies.

• Weathering chamber and electrochemical instrumentation forsurface studies.

• Advanced electron microscopy for material microstructurecharacterisation.

To see a list of current postgraduate projects visit http://www.mateng.uct.ac.za/mateng/people/postgraduate-studentscontact person: Robert.knutsen@uct.ac.za 10

CERECAM

Website: www.cerecam.uct.ac.zaEmail: cerecam@uct.ac.za

WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO

The principal objective of the Centre for Research in Computational and AppliedMechanics(CERECAM)istoprovideacoherentfocusandpointofinteraction forresearch in the area of non-linear mechanics, by promoting and supportingfundamental research and applied research. A major area of interest is incomputational mechanics i.e. the computational simulation of flow, deformationand failure in natural processes, engineering components or artefacts. Otherresearch interests focus on theoretical studies in solid and fluid mechanics, partialdifferential equations, computational algorithms and experimental studies. CERECAMhas as a key objective to be the centre of expertise in SA in its area of research, toprovidealinkbetweenindustryandacademia,andtoprovidepostgraduatetraining insuchaformthatitsgraduatesmakearealcontributiontoSAindustry.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS

• Computational solid, structural and particulatemechanics• Numerical analysis and partial differential equations• Biomechanics• Computational fluid dynamics• Particulate flow characterisation in industrial and biological systems• Computational electromagnetics

RESEARCH COLLABORATORS

• Centre for Minerals Research(UCT)• Crystallisation and Precipitation

Research Unit(UCT)• Blast Impact and Survivability

Research Unit BISRU(UCT)• Centre for Materials

Engineering (UCT)• Cardiovascular Research Unit

(UCT Medical School)• Departments of Surgery and

Human Biology (UCT Medical School)

• SASOL Advanced FuelsLaboratory• Universities of Dortmund /

Darmstadt / Munich / Erlangen-Nurnberg / Hanover (Germany)

• Carnegie-Mellon University and Washington State University(USA)

• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)

• University of Nottingham (UK)• University of Queensland and

Australian National University(Australia)

• Universities of Montana /Northwestern University /TulaneUniversity (USA)

• Obafemi Awolo University(Nigeria)

• University of South Africa / University of Pretoria / University ofStellenbosch

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras(India)

RECENT PUBLICATIONSReddy BD and Van Huyssteen D, A virtual element method for transversely isotropic elasticity. Computational Mechanics, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-019-01690-7

Pond D, McBride AT, Davids JM, Reddy BD and Limbert G, Constitutive modeling of the skin accounting for ageing. Journal of Theoretical Biology 444 (2018) 108—123.

CONTACT DETAILS

11

WHO WE ARE A/Prof. Chris von Klemperer (Liquid resin mouldingmethods, Mouldless manufacture, 3D Printing of Fibrereinforced Polymers)Dr Reuben Govender (BISRU, Delamination, Fracture, Multiaxial loading, 3D printing methodologies and materials)MrSa-aadat Parker (Numerical Optimisation, Optimum Stacking Sequence Design, Composite Material Characterisation)

WHAT WE DOThe Composites Laboratory initiates research on all aspects of the manufacture and processing ofcomposite materials. Specialised test specimens for use in non-destructive testing research and blastimpactevaluation arecreated andtheresulting damageand testresults areanalysed.

Researchwithinthe laboratoryalsofocusesonoptimisingcompositematerialsprocessing,includingusing vacuum infusion manufacture to make composite components with a particular focus on lowcostandMouldless ManufactureofFRPcompositestructures.

A further aspect of the research concentrates on numerical optimisation of composites withparticular focus on lay-up. The characterization of various composite materials is undertaken inconjunction withtheCentrefor Materials Engineering.

3DPrintingresearchfocusesonthemanufactureof 3Dprintedpolymericstructuresanddesignsaswellasthedevelopment of3DPrintersandmaterials.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• Blast response of composite materials and structures.• Mouldless manufacture and low cost FRP manufacturing• Numerical optimisation of composite laminate structures• Continuous Fibre Reinforced Polymer 3-D Printing• Embedded 3D Printing with liquid and gel inks and resins

PUBLICATIONS• Langdon, G.S., von Klemperer, C.J., Volschenk, G.F., van Tonder, T. and Govender, R.A.,

2018. The influence of interfacial bonding on the response of lightweight aluminium and glass fibre metal laminate panels subjected to air-blast loading. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 232(8), pp.1402-1417.

• Govender, R.A., Langdon, G.S., Nurick, G.N. and Cloete, T.J., 2013. Impact delamination testing of fibre reinforced polymers using Hopkinson pressure bars. Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 101, pp.80-90.

KEY RESEARCH COLLABORATORS• Durban University of Technology (Reinforced Plastics Technology Station)• Centre for Materials Engineering - University of Cape Town• Blast Impact Survivability Research Unit –University of Cape Town• University of Stellenbosch (Mechanics Division)

SPECIALISED FACILITIES• Dedicated composites processing facility with oven and vacuum bag facilities• CNC Router• 20 tonpress• FDM 3D Printers.

CONTACT DETAILSChris.vonKlemperer@uct.ac.zaReuben.Govender@uct.ac.zaSa-aadat.parker@uct.ac.za

Continuous fibre angle andtopology optimisation of aMBB beam showing loading

Fibre angle optimisation of aMBB beam

Displacement field from fibreangle optimisation

Composite Materials Laboratory and 3-D Printing

12

Engineering Education

Prof Brandon Collier-Reed Dr Bruce Kloot Dr Corrinne Shaw

WHAT WEDOEngineering Education research focuses on gaining an understanding onhowtoincreasethenumberofengineersthatsuccessfullygraduatefrom theundergraduate and postgraduate programs offered in the Department ofMechanicalEngineering.

AgroupofstaffwithintheDepartment,whoholdengineeringeducation astheir research focus, now participate in a number of projects aimed atimproving the educational offering in the Department of MechanicalEngineering as a whole. This includes research into teaching and learningpractice, tutoring and mentoring systems, curriculum design and the socialstructure of higher education in the South African context. This work isundertaken in collaboration with other departments in the Faculty ofEngineeringandtheBuiltEnvironment,theCentreforResearchin EngineeringEducation and the Centre for Higher Education Development. Ultimately, theintentionis to improvethegraduation rateof high-quality engineersfrom theDepartmentofMechanicalEngineering atthe University ofCapeTown.

CURRENT RESEARCHFOCUS• Understanding keys to technological literacy in adolescents• Determining career aspirations among students of different

population groups• Research into why students leave university in good academic

standing (non-completion of engineering degree studies)• Studying the progression of engineering students through

departmental programmes• Podcasting in engineering education• Identity formation in engineering education• Workplace learning• Social responsibility in engineering education

KEY RESEARCHCOLLABORATORS• Centre for Higher Education Development

(University of Cape Town)• Centre for Research in Engineering Education

(University of Cape Town)

SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS• Ahmed N, KlootB and Collier-Reed B.I, 2015. Why students leave

engineering and built environment programmes when they are academically eligible to continue. European Journal of Engineering Education, 40(2), pp.128–144.

• NgondaT, Shaw C and KlootB, The role of mentors in navigating the paradoxes of industry-based learning. In 8th Research in Engineering Education Symposium (REES 2019) (p. 103).

CONTACT DETAILSWebsite: www.cree.uct.ac.zaEmail: bruce.kloot@uct.ac.za

13

Engineering Management

DrCorrinne Shaw Emeritus A/Professor TomRyan

WHAT WE DOEngineering Management is an active unit of applied and scholarly research inmanagement, focussed primarily on the manufacturing, engineering projects,petrochemical and consulting sectors. The group undertakes research projectsdesignedtodevelopand growmanagementexpertiseandcompetenceprimarilyin theSouthAfrican engineeringcontext.Theresearchgroup hasclose linkswiththe South African private sector and quasi-government engineeringorganisations.

Our research work places special emphasis on the application ofmanagement theory and systems thinking and practice as approaches toproblem solving in the workplace. Research draws on systems dynamicsmodelling and systems methodologies (among others) with the view tocontributingto improvementsinefficiencyandeffectivenessoforganisations.Theworking organisation is the laboratory for the research projects undertaken byourpostgraduate students.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• Learningsystemicmanagement practice• Cybernetics andorganisational viability• Applications ofsystemsthinking in aproject environment• Operations management inmanufacturing• Understandingsocio-technicalsystems,complexsystemsand systems

dynamics models• Engineering management in4IR• Management education andworkplacelearning

KEY RESEARCH COLLABORATORS• Kalpana Ramesh Kanjee (CHED), Dr Nien-Tsu Tuan (Construction

Economics and Management, UCT), Graduate School of Business (GSB),CentreforResearchinEngineering Education(CREE).

• Organisations, companiesandconsultingpracticesarethe laboratoryforourresearch projects. Postgraduate students undertaking Masters and Doctoralprograms, carry out research projects within government and commercialorganisations. Typical collaborators in this management research workinclude consulting engineers, petrochemical plants andpower utilities.

SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS• Shaw C and le Roux K. (2017). From Practitioner to Researcher:

Designing the Dissertation Process for Part Time CourseworkMasters Students. Syst Pract Action Res 30, 433–446 (2017).

• Tuan N and Shaw C (2016). Consideration of Ethics in SystemicThinking. Syst Pract Action Res 29, 51–60.

• Amer H and Shaw C (2014). Lean leadership paradoxes: Asystematic literature review. 5th International conference onEngineering, Project and Production Management conferenceproceedings

16

CONTACT DETAILS: corrinne.shaw@uct.ac.za

14

Industrial Computational Fluid Dynamics

WHO WEARE &WHAT WE DOThe Industrial Computational Fluid Dynamics (InCFD) researchgroup develops state-of-the-art modelling and simulation toolsfor the express support of industry. This is done via theuncompromising pursuit of innovation through fundamentalresearch which carries the hallmark of excellence. InCFD ishome to the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in IndustrialCFD.

CURRENTRESEARCH FOCUS• Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) based two-phase flow solvers for industry,

including compressible, incompressible and weakly compressibleformulations.

• Transonicflowaerodynamics andfluid-structure interaction (FSI)• Reducedordermodels foraircraft• Structuraldamping insloshing flows• Higher ordernumerical methodswithshifting interfaces• Full spacecraftmodels: Rigid-body andfluid coupling

KEY RESEARCHCOLLABORATORSProf.JanNordström,Linköping UniversityAirbus (UK)Sloshing Wing Dynamics (SLOWD)(https://slowd-project.eu/)

SAMPLE PUBLICATIONSHorwitz R.A, Malan A.G. and Braithwaite J, 2020. Aeroelastic Reduced OrderModel:Kriging-Corrected PotentialFlow.JournalofAircraft,pp.1-16.LundquistT, Malan,A.GandNordströmJ,2020.Efficientanderrorminimizedcoupling procedures for unstructured and moving meshes. Journal ofComputational Physics,406,p.109158.

CONTACT DETAILSWebsite: www.incfd.uct.ac.zaE-mail: arnaud.malan@uct.ac.za

Prof. Arnaud MalanProfessor in Mechanical Engineering

Research Director

South African Research Chair: Industrial CFD

Prof. Tunde Bello-Ochende Professor in Mechanical Engineering

Thermodynamics, renewable & complex energy systems

Dr. Malebogo NgoepeSenior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

Computational Biomechanics

Dr. Leon MalanSenior Research Officer

Two-phase flow with Phase Change

15

Non-Destructive Evaluation

WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DOThe research and development taking place at this laboratory aims to augment the capability of industry to inspect structures non-destructively and also to enhance its capability to establish the structural integrity of components through sensor monitoring techniques.

Our primary aim is to research and perfect techniques that will allowthe detection of sub surface defects in manufactured components andmanufacturedstructures. The objective of the research is to develop

non-contacting whole field inspection techniques. At the same time weare working to advance fundamental knowledge in the field of non-destructive testing of materials and manufactured items. Our research intonon- contacting inspection is targeted at components manufactured fromcompositematerialssuchcarbonfibre,glassfibre,reinforcedplasticsbut alsoincludes ferrousandnon-ferrous metals.

Research is also focusing on the use of embedded sensors s to enableengineers to acquire a better understanding of the response of compositesandwich laminates and materials to the influence of external forcesincluding low-energy impact,vibration andthermalloading.

CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUS• Non-contacting whole field inspection techniques to detectdefects• Non-destructive evaluation of composite materialcomponents• Optical interference techniques including digital shearography,

electron speckle pattern interferometry and conventional holography• Developing portable NDT systems based on optical interference

principles.• The use of pulsed thermography in parallel with shearographic

inspection• Acoustic emission NDT techniques on the behaviour of composites

under stress

KEY RESEARCH COLLABORATORS• Cape Peninsula University of Technology• University ofStellenbosch• Council for Scientific and Industrial Research• University of Bath(UK)• Armscor Aero SystemsDivision

SPECIALISED FACILITIES• Portable Shearography NDT/ESystem• Portable Electronic Speckle Interferometric NDT/ESystem• Digital ShearographySystem

PUBLICATIOND Findeis, “Delamination detection ability in composite laminated panelsusing infrared thermography and portable Raspberry Pi based digitalshearography”, presented at 5th International Conference on MechanicsofComposites(MechComp2019),Lisbon,1-4July,2019

SPONSORS CONTACT DETAILS• ArmscorAero SystemsDivision Mr Dirk Findeis• Airbus Dirk.findeis@uct.ac.za

Mr Dirk Findeis

16

Tutoring

WHO WE ARE

DrBruceKloot

Ms CharmaineFindeis

WHAT WEDO

There are more than 20 courses within the Department of MechanicalEngineering that require tutors from Design to Drawing, to Thermofluids andDynamics, toProjectManagementand more.Notonly istutoringagoodwaytoearnsomemoney,butotherbenefits include:

• 5-monthcontracts• Regularmonthly payments• Remuneration formeetingswithlecturers• Personalskills training• Opportunity tohelpothers

Thereisalsoatutoringtrainingworkshoptohelpthosewho arenewtothecraft.

Tutor (MSc Level) Time (hrs/week)

Tot. for semester

Rate (2020) Amount

Tutoring load 2 22 hrs R139/hr R3,058

Preparation 2 22 hrs R139/hr R3,058

Admin, meetings etc.

0.5 5.5 hrs R122/hr R671

Marking 1 11 hrs R122/hr R1,342

Total: 5.5 60.5 hrs R8,129

Monthly payment for 5 months: R1,625.80

TYPICAL TUTORING PACKAGE:

CONTACT DETAILS: bruce.kloot@uct.ac.za WEBSITE:mec-MechanicalEngineering@uct.ac.za

17

Links to Important Information

2020 Research Handbook:webcms.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/image_tool/images/50/

Research/2020%20Research%20Handbook.pdf

EBE website: www.ebe.uct.ac.za

Mechanical Engineering website: www.mecheng.uct.ac.za

Apply now: www.ebe.uct.ac.za/ebe/postgradstudies/apply

Funding:www.students.uct.ac.za/students/fees-funding/postgraduate-degree-funding

National Research Foundation (NRF) deadline for first-time Masters applicants : 30 June 2020

National Research Foundation (NRF) deadline for first-time Honours applicants : 31 October 2020

Postgraduate Administrator:

denise.botha@uct.ac.za

18