Prof. David Nowell

Professor of Engineering Science
Director, University Technology Centre for Solid Mechanics

Prof. David Nowell received a BA in Engineering from the University of Cambridge in 1982 and, after a short period in industry, studied for a D.Phil in Fretting Fatigue at the University of Oxford. Since 1988 he has been a University Lecturer at Oxford and in 2004 was awarded the title of Professor of Engineering Science. Prof. Nowell's research interests include contact mechanics, fatigue, fracture, and impact and he has published over 180 papers and conference articles on these subjects since 1986 in addition to co-authoring two books. He has worked closely on industrial applications of solid mechanics and has been associated with the University Technology Centre for Solid Mechanics (supported by Rolls-Royce plc) since its inception in 1990. He was Director of the centre between 1999 and 2009.

Prof. Nowell is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and is on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Fatigue and of Strain. He has acted as a consultant to a number of industrial companies including HCL Fasteners, OCS Ltd, Alcan International, RM plc, and Rolls-Royce plc. Details of some current research projects are given below.

Current Research Projects

• Fretting Fatigue and Fretting Wear
  
• Friction
• Modelling and Prediction of Residual Stress
• Singularities and Stress Analysis
  
• Plasticity-induced Fatigue Crack Closure
• Foreign Object Damage
  

Recent publications