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Biography:
Dr. Fergus Cuthill is FastBlade Manager and Senior Experimental Ofificer for the FASTBLADE Structural Composites Research Facility at The University of Edinburgh. He is currently focused on implementing the instrumentation and control systems for the facility.
Prior to his present post he was PDRA within the Institute for Materials and Processes, working on two Wave Energy Scotland (WES) funded projects (ELASTO & ROTOHYBRID). His role focused on the mechanical testing, anylsis and classification of novel materials for the potential use in wave energy devices with the aim of the research being a step change in the levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
He completed his PhD "The Influence of Snow Microstructure and Properties on the Grip of Winter Tyres" in colaboration with Michelin and supervised by Dr. Jane Blackford and Prof. Vasileios Koutsos in 2017.
Academic Qualifications:
PhD Mechanical Engineering (Snow Mechanics), The University of Edinburgh, 2017
MEng Mechanical Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, 2013
Professional Qualifications and Memberships:
Member of The Institute of Mechancial Engineers
Research Interests:
CURRENT PROJECTS
1. EPSRC Structural Composites Research Facility (FASTBLADE): (Experimental Officer) (with Conchur O Bradaigh, (PI), Eddie McCarthy, Jeff Steynor, Tim Stratford, Luke Bisby, and Spyros Karamanos: UoE). Construction of a large scale fatigue test facility for non-resonant fatigue testing of stiff structures. These will include marine tidal turbine blades of ca. 11 m in length. The project makes use of the unique enabling Artemis Digital Displacement pumping technology. Future applications to include civil structures and oil and gas pipe sections etc.
PAST PROJECTS
1. Wave Energy Scotland Project (Rotohybrid): (PDRA) (with Prof. Conchur O Bradaigh (PI), Dr. Eddie McCathy: UoE): Substitution of cost saving materials for steel in existing Wave Energy Devices. This project involves University of Edinburgh; Carnegie UK; Pelagic Innovation, UK; Queens University, Belfast; Kingspan, Portadown; Northern Ireland, and EireComposites Teo, Galway, Ireland. It is targetted at reducing the levelised cost of energy of an existing commercial design by substitution of polyethylene rotationally moulded components. Issues include reinforcement strategies for the polymer components, integration and connection with steel components, optimal design for transport and assembly on site, and long term durability of the materials in a new engineered design.
2. Wave Energy Scotland ELASTO Project: (PRDA) (With Prof. Vasileios Koutsos (PI), Dr. Eddie McCarthy: UoE). This project is a partnership of University of Edinburgh with Griffon Hoverworks and University of Plymouth, and is focused on the benchmarking and development of elastomeric diaphragms for energy generation at sea. Issues include fatigue resilience and durability of elastomer materials, and accurate predictive modelling of material response within a structure to variable hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads induced by changing sea states over prolonged service life.
