Research

As deputy director of the pan-Wales ASTUTE project, my main focus is modelling work for numerous materials problems covering a variety of time and length scales. This work has enjoyed close collaboration with UK and European manufacturers.

Some recent and ongoing projects include:

• Nano scale modelling of ageing of steels using Kinetic Monte Carlo Method (Tata Steel Company)
• Nano scale modelling of the leaching of Raney-Ni catalytic powders using Kinetic Monte Carlo Method (European Space Agency, CERAM, Johnson-Matthey, Leiden University Holland among others)
• Micro scale Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling for numerical determination of permeability during dendritic solidification of alloys
• Micro scale electro chemical modelling of localized corrosion (Tata Steel Company)
• Micro scale diffusion modelling for Ti alloys (Rolls-Royce plc)
• Macro scale FD/FE simulation of moisture ingress into CFRP aerospace materials (Airbus UK)
• Macro scale FE radiative heat transfer modelling (DSTL Farnborough)
• Macro scale electro-thermo-mechanical modelling of hot-forming, hot-rolling, coiling & several resistance welding processes (Tata Steel Company)
• Macro scale heat transfer and solidification modelling of casting processes (several Welsh-SMEs via ASTUTE project)
• Discrete Element Modelling of Granular Flow for Blast Furnace and Granular Material Transport (Tata Steel Company)

New project work has now begun involving Lattice-Boltzmann Modelling of Additive Layer Manufacturing (new EU-FP7 Research Project with European Space Agency).

Selected publications

• Nicholas P. Lavery, David J. Jarvis, Stephen G. R. Brown, Nicholas J. Adkins, Benjamin P. Wilson, Life cycle assessment of sponge nickel produced by gas atomisation for use in industrial hydrogenation catalysis applications, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2013, 18, 2, [ISSN:0948-33491614-7502], [DOI: 10.1007/s11367-012-0478-8]
• A J P Gater, G Fourlaris, S G R Brown, L J Baker, Strain aging of titanium-vanadium ultralow carbon strip steels, Ironmaking & Steelmaking, 2012, 39, 3, pp.216, [ISSN:0301923317432812], [DOI: 10.1179/1743281211y.0000000060]
• Steve Brown, A quantitative investigation of the structure of Raney-Ni catalyst material using both computer simulation and experimental measurements, Journal of Catalysis, 2011, 281, 2, pp.300-308, [ISSN:00219517], [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2011.05.010]
• Steve Brown, Experimental validation of a thermal model of adhesively bonded scarf repairs for CFRP composite materials incorporating cure kinetics, 2011, 1, pp.351-361, [ISBN:9781845645380], [ISSN:1743-35331746-4471], [DOI: 10.2495/MC110311]
• Steve Brown, Field-based prediction of localized anodic dissolution events taking place on ZnAl alloy coatings in the presence of 5% NaCl solution, 2009, 1, pp.97-108, [ISBN:9781845641924], [ISSN:1743-35331746-4471], [DOI: 10.2495/ECOR090101]
• Steve Brown, Atomistic simulation of the nano-structural evolution of Raney-type catalysts from spray-atomized NiAl precursor alloys during leaching with NaOH solution, 2009, 1, pp.151-160, [ISBN:9781845641924], [ISSN:1743-35331746-4471], [DOI: 10.2495/ECOR090151]
• Steve Brown, Modelling the relationship between microstructure of Galfan-type coated steel and cut-edge corrosion resistance incorporating diffusion of multiple species, Corrosion Science, 2008, 50, 10, pp.2846-2857, [ISSN:0010938X], [DOI: 10.1016/j.corsci.2008.07.005]
• S.G.R. Brown, N.C. Barnard, 3D computer simulation of the influence of microstructure on the cut edge corrosion behaviour of a zinc aluminium alloy galvanized steel, Corrosion Science, 2006, 48, 8, pp.2291-2303, [ISBN:0010-938X], [ISSN:0010938X], [DOI: 10.1016/j.corsci.2005.08.015]
• A GATER, S BROWN, An Analysis of Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulation as a tool for Modelling Strain Ageing, 2005, pp.625-630, [ISBN:1359-6462], [DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2005.05.035]
• S.G.R Brown, J.A Spittle, D.J Jarvis, R Walden-Bevan, Numerical determination of liquid flow permeabilities for equiaxed dendritic structures, Acta Materialia, 2002, 50, 6, pp.1559-1569, [ISBN:1359-6454], [ISSN:13596454], [DOI: 10.1016/S1359-6454(02)00014-9]
• J D James, J A Spittle, S G R Brown, R W Evans, A review of measurement techniques for the thermal expansion coefficient of metals and alloys at elevated temperatures, 2001, pp.R1-R15, [ISBN:0957-0233], [DOI: 10.1088/0957-0233/12/3/201]

Teaching

• EG-380 - Computational Materials 2 (12/13)
• EG-292 - Modelling and Simulation of Materials (12/13)

Research theses supervised

PhD

• 2012 - Computational modelling of hydrogen embrittlement of pulse plated nickel (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Croft)
• 2010 - Simulation for Additive Layer Manufacturing and Design (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2010 - On-cooling property and microstructure studies (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Karen Perkins)
• 2010 - Characterising the corrosion-fatigue behaviour of a nickel alloy for disc rotor applications in an air-S02 environment (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Karen Perkins)
• 2009 - Characterisation and Evolution of the Grain Boundary Network in BCC Metals (2nd Supervisor: Professor Valerie Randle)
• 2009 - Joining, repair and structural integrity of IN718 Aerospace Materials (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Karen Perkins)
• 2009 - 'On the effects of special boundary geometries on intergranular corrosion and grain boundary evolution in aluminium' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Valerie Randle)
• 2009 - 'Modelling of Water Absorption into Carbon Fibre/Epoxy Composites' (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2006 - Relating moisture ingress to component strength for carbon-fibre composites (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2006 - Finite element approach for relating moisture ingress to strength in composite materials (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2005 - A New Design Methodology for composite materials exposed to humid, high temperature environments (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2004 - Hydrodynamics of surfboard fins (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2002 - Finite Element Modelling and Experimental Validation in Radiative Heat Transfer (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Nicholas Lavery)
• 2002 - Microstructure-mechanical Property relationships in novel High Strength Low Alloy Strip Steels (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2002 - Development of Novel IF strip steel grades (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)

EngD

• 2012 - Computational Modelling and Verification of the ALM Melt Pool (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2012 - Thermal imaging based melt pool depth prediction system (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2011 - Lifing Methods Against Rotor Overspeed Failure in Disc Alloys (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Whittaker)
• 2011 - A multi-physic approach to the improvement and optimisation of manufacturing processes involving the mixing/interaction of fluids, by utilising Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) (2nd Supervisor: Professor Oubay Hassan)
• 2011 - Impact of wear damage on the fatigue performance of disc alloys in gas turbine (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Whittaker)
• 2010 - Effective computer simulations of hot-forming process for boron steels to support steel development, process understanding and automotive applications deployment (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2010 - A numerical simulation of particulate distribution of the blast furnace raw material burden through the Paul Worth Bell-less Top apparatus (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2010 - Effect of SOx and chlorine on crack growth behaviour of a nickel alloy for disc applications (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Karen Perkins)
• 2010 - TMF and bithermal crack growth (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Whittaker)
• 2010 - Novel testing techniques to characterise advanced structural materials (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2010 - The mechanical characterisation of a high strength, highly creep resistant steel for shaft applications (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Karen Perkins)
• 2010 - Improved creep models for nickel based disc alloys (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Whittaker)
• 2010 - Understanding the contributions of oxidation damage, mean stress and surface condition on the fatigue crack initiation behaviour of a nickel disc alloy as a result of thermal exposure at elevated temperatures (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2010 - Small scale characterisation of novel aero-engine alloys (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2009 - 'In-service application of composite repair solution' (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2009 - The effect of hot mill through-process temperature variability on whole coil property variability of advanced high strength steels for automotive applications (2nd Supervisor: Professor David Worsley)
• 2009 - 'The analysis of bonded repair solutions for primary composite aircraft structures' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2007 - Investigation on the metallurgical principles of solid state welding of tinplate. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - 'Hot Rolled Multiphase Steels' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2005 - Modelling of blast furnace operations. (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Evans)
• 2005 - Simulation of industrial granular flow and its effect on the sintering process (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Mark Evans)
• 2004 - Modelling of the resistance spot welding process of sheet steel products (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2004 - Electro-thermo-mechanical finite modelling of the high speed resistance seam welding process (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2004 - Influence of prior particle boundary structure and deformation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a powder metallurgy nickel alloy for aero-engine disc applications. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Martin Bache)
• 2003 - Modelling of the Bake Hardening Sequences in Novel Interstitial Free Bake Hardening Steels For Automotive Applications (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2001 - Computer Modelling of Microstructure in Hot Dip Zinc Alloy Coatings (2nd Supervisor: Professor Hamilton Mcmurray)
• 2001 - Thermal Modelling of High Speed Resistance Welding (2nd Supervisor: Professor David Worsley)
• 2001 - Mathematical modelling of heat transfer during the hot rolling of steel strip (2nd Supervisor: Professor Brian Wilshire)
• 2000 - The relationship between metallurgical properties and the crash performance of automotive structures (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)

MPhil

• 2009 - 'Modelling of Water Absorption into Carbon Fibre/Epoxy Composites' (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)

MRes

• 2012 - The utilisation of infrared camera technology to measure molten cobalt metals (2nd Supervisor: Dr. Amitabha Das)
• 2011 - Optimisation of mechanical properties of continuously annealed IF steels (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2011 - Melt removal developments for improved blast furnace operations (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2011 - Steel Technology (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2011 - Steel Technology (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2011 - Develop a technical standard for aging characteristics of bake hardenable galvanised steel (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2010 - Port Talbot hot mill capability to supply new 3% silicon steel chemistry for use in the power industry (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2010 - Refractories and their application used in Steel making (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2010 - Effect of roller levelling on shape (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'In-service application of composite repair solution' (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2009 - 'The analysis of bonded repair solutions for primary composite aircraft structures' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2009 - The Effects of Mixed Liquids on the Stiffness of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composites (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2009 - 'Non-Metallic Inclusions : Development of a Fast Characterisation Technique at Port Talbot Works' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'Process Optimisation for Galvaised Structural Products' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'Hot Rolling a New Steel Grade for DWI Tinplate Applications' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'Failure reduction and increased reliability in continuous casting within Port Talbot Steel Works, the true cost of poor lubrication practices' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'Combustion of Granulated Coal in Blast Furnace' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2009 - 'Positive release of hot-dip galvanised automotive material to prevent coating adhesion failure at customer' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - Determination of diffusion coefficients for water in CFRP in different orientations (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2008 - The effect of absorbed moisture on the bearing strength of carbon fibre composites (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2008 - Characterisation of a new through-thickness tensile test for CFRP (2nd Supervisor: Dr. John Arnold)
• 2008 - Design and Optimization of Joints in a Carbon Fibre Bicycle Frame (2nd Supervisor: Professor Johann Sienz)
• 2008 - - Carbonaceous Material Selection - refractory lining integrity/performance/concept - Heat transfer/temperature profile across the hearth - FEM Modelling - Stress/Strain behaviour analysis generated in the refractory lining- effects on furnace shell / tuyere holder etc - Analysis of thermal expansion requirements against design allowances - Interface between Refractory design and cooling system - Process / operational effects on hearth stability - Hearth wear rate - monitoring techniques - NDT / Physical Core Drilling (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - Investigation of Yield Improvement through Crop Optimisation in the Port Talbot Hot Strip Mill (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - 'Process Control Information, Operation and Management Systems Upgrades and Enhancements at the TATA Steel UK Port Talbot site Blast Furnaces' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - 'Imrproving the Capability of Manufacturing Low Sulphur Strip Steels without the use of a Synthetic Slag' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - 'Investigation onto Heat Transfer in the Mould for Continuously Cast Steel Slabs and the Impact on Steel Surface Quality' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - 'Blast Furnace Stove Optimisation and Automated Enrichment Control' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - ''Investigation into the Effect of the Peripheral Distributor Road Development on Concentrations of Particulate Matter <10µm within the Port Talbot Air Quality Management Area'' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2008 - 'Assessment of the Capability of the Exit Shear at the CAPL line to cut 2 mm gauge HSLA and dual phase steels' (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - An Assessment of the New Materials Being Considered for Gas Turbine Aero-engines and Their Contribution Towards the ACARE Targets. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - Life Cycle and Techno-Economic analysis of industrial sponge nickel catalysts used in hydrogenation reactions (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - Life Cycle Analysis. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - Application of Thermal Desorption within Tata Steel Strip Products UK (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2007 - Developing the Infrared Slag Detection System at the BOS Plant, Port Talbot Steel Works (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2006 - Hot Rolling of Dual Phase 600 Strip Steel on Llanwern Hot Strip Mill. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2006 - Prevention of Transverse Cracking in Niobium Micro-alloyed Continuously Cast Steel Slabs (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2006 - Investigation into the fitness of and influence of plant weighing systems on through-process yield from BOS vessel inputs to cast slab (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2006 - Development of a processing route for producing galvanised dual phase steel at the zodiac galvanising line (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2006 - Control of Galvanised Strip Surface Roughness Through Temper Mill at ZODIAC (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)
• 2005 - Weld Repair of Castings. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)

MSc

• 2010 - Optimisation of Grade 6 cobalt based powder in terms of particle size for laser cladding in the steel industry. (2nd Supervisor: Professor Georgios Fourlaris)