Dr Rob Barthorpe

MEng, CEng, PhD

Lecturer

Year in Industry Tutor

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
UK

Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 7762
Fax: +44 (0) 114 222 7890

Email: r.j.barthorpe@sheffield.ac.uk

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Profile

Rob Barthorpe is a lecturer in the Dynamics Research Group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has a first degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Modern Language from the University of Sheffield and was awarded his PhD from the same university in 2010. Rob's research is in the areas of structural health monitoring, uncertainty analysis and the verification and validation of numerical models.

Areas of Research

Dr Barthorpe's research covers a range of problems in the field of structural dynamics and beyond, with an underlying theme being the integration of numerical modelling and experimental data. Structural health monitoring is one of his major research themes. The broad aim of an SHM system is to be able to identify, at an early stage, occurrences of damage that may ultimately lead to the failure of the component or system being monitored.

Established approaches to this task typically fall into one of two categories: they are either based entirely on experimental data, or make use of a numerical model that is periodically updated as new data becomes available. Both of these approaches have distinct drawbacks: for the former, lack of appropriate experimental data is the major issue; for the latter, model-form uncertainty is among the challenges faced.

Part of Rob's work is in investigating ways to circumvent the lack of data problem through novel experimental and data-modelling techniques. A larger part is in developing new methods for integrating experimental and numerical methods, such that uncertainty in both the experimental measurements and the numerical model may be accounted for.

These methods are being developed for application to aerospace structures, wind turbines and civil infrastructure. However, the domain of applicability is much broader as the issues of handling uncertainty, solving inverse problems and overcoming test-model discrepancy are pervasive in many branches of science and engineering. Applications being investigated include the energy performance of buildings and the modelling of human bones.

Teaching

Dr Barthorpe currently teaches Signal Processing and Instrumentation (MEC409) to fourth year undergraduates and MSc students

Current Research Grants

ESPRC/Wellcome Trust fellowship, 2010-11, £44k (PI)

Selected Publications

Book Chapter:

• Sensor placement optimisation for structural health monitoring,
  Barthorpe, R. J. & Worden, K. (2009),
  In Encyclopedia of Structural Health Monitoring, ed. Boller C., Chang, F-K. & Fujino, Y.,
  Chichester: Wiley, pp. 1239-1250

Selected Journal Papers:

• The use of pseudo-faults for novelty detection in SHM,
  Papatheou, E., Manson, G., Worden, K. & Barthorpe, R. J. (2010),
  Journal of Sound and Vibration, 329(12), pp. 2349-2366,
  Online (Journal Subscription Required)


• Vibration-based structural health monitoring using large sensor networks,
  Worden, K., Deraemaeker, A., et al. (2010)
  Smart Structures and Systems, 6(3), pp. 335-347.


• Advanced feature selection for simplified pattern recognition within the damage identification framework,
  Manson, G. and Barthorpe, R. J. (2010),
  Shock and Vibration, 17(4-5), pp. 589-599.


• Feature extraction from spectral data using the Bayesian evidence framework,
  Hensman, J. J. & Barthorpe, R. J. (2009),
  Damage Assessment of Structures VIII, 413-414, pp. 151-158.

Selected Conference Papers:

• Classification of multi-site damage using support vector machines,
  Barthorpe, R. J., Manson, G. & Worden, K.,
  9th International Conference on Damage Assessment of Structures - Oxford, UK, 11-13 Jul 2011.


• Multiple-site damage location using single-site training data,
  Barthorpe, R. J. & Worden, K.,
  IMAC-XXIX: Conference & Exposition on Structural Dynamics - Jacksonville, Fl, USA, 31 Jan - 3 Feb 2011.


• Damage location using added masses in a Piper Tomahawk aircraft wing,
  Papatheou, E., Manson, G., Barthorpe, R. J. & Worden, K.,
  Proceedings of ISMA 2010: International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering - Leuven, Belgium, 20-22 Sept 2010.


• Multiple damage location using independent features,
  Manson, G. & Barthorpe, R. J.,
  IWSHM2009: 7th International Workshop on Structural Engineering Dynamics - Stanford, CA, USA, 9-11 Sept 2009.


• A comparative study of approaches to damage detection,
  Barthorpe, R. J., Worden, K., Surace, C. & Demarie, G.,
  XIX Congresso AIMETA - Ancona, Italy, 14-17 Sept 2009.


• A forward approach to model-based structural health monitoring,
  Barthorpe, R. J., Manson, G. & Worden, K.,
  ICEDyn 2009: International Conference on Structural Engineering Dynamics - Ericeira, Portugal, 22-24 June 2009.


• Identification of robust damage-sensitive features for model-based structural health monitoring: an effect screening approach,
  Barthorpe, R. J.,
  USD2009: 2nd International Conference on Uncertainty in Structural Dynamics - Sheffield, UK, 15-17 June 2009.


• Finite element model-based feature generation for structural health monitoring,
  Barthorpe, R. J., Worden, K. & Manson, G.,
  IMAC-XXVII: Conference & Exposition on Structural Dynamics - Orlando, Fl, USA, 9-12 Feb 2009.


• Fault induction using added masses for structural damage identification,
  Papatheou, E., Barthorpe, R. J., Worden, K. & Manson, G.,
  Proceedings of ISMA 2008: International Conference on Noise and Vibration Engineering, Vols 1-8.


• An investigation into the necessary model fidelity for SHM feature selection,
  Barthorpe, R. J., Worden, K. & Manson, G.,
  Proceedings of the Fourth European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring.


• The use of pseudo-faults for SHM feature selection and pattern recognition,
  Papatheou, E., Manson, G., Worden, K. & Barthorpe, R. J.,
  Proceedings of the Fourth European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring.