Professor Will Coombs

Professor

MEng PhD FHEA

Affiliations
Affiliation	Room number	Telephone
Professor in the Department of Engineering	E213a (Christopherson)	+44 (0) 191 33 42516

Biography

Will Coombs is a Professor in the Department of Engineering. He graduated in Civil Engineering with a first class MEng honors degree from Durham University in 2008. Following his undergraduate studies, Will began a PhD at Durham University within the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. He successfully completed in 2011. The research conducted during this time concentrated on the theoretical development and numerical implementation of finite deformation constitutive models for pressure-sensitive particulate geomaterials.

Will's research remains in the area of computational mechanics, focused on: (i) material (or constitutive) models with a specific focus on elasto-plasticity, (ii) finite-deformation mechanics, (iii) non-linear finite-elements, (iv) non-mesh-based numerical methods, (v) material point methods and (vi) fracture.

Research

In more detail, Will's primary research interest surrounds inelastic constitutive modelling of geomaterials subjected to finite deformations. Included within this is the theoretical development and numerical implementation of a range of material constitutive models, from simple, rapid and robust isotropic models to complex anisotropic material behaviour frameworks. His research continues on the development on constitutive models for a variety of engineering materials, including complex particulate behaviour. One aim in this area is relating the observed material behaviour to tangible and measurable material properties and fabric constituents whilst respecting the fundamental laws of thermodynamics.

In addition to research on constitutive modelling, Will has developed a series of cutting-edge, compact and freely available Finite Element Method and Material Point Method codes for problems involving large deformation and material failure (elasto-plasticity). These codes form a lauchpad to test out research ideas, especially for research students, and provide ideal environments for new collaborations.

Recently Will's research has focused on applications in offshore geotechnical engineering related to offshore wind energy, such as foundation solutions and issues related to cable installation. The adopted computational tool for these investigations is the Material Point Method (MPM) that is ideally suited to model problems involving large deformation and material failure. Durham's research group has positioned itself as a leader in implicit MPMs and has solved several issues related to application of boundary conditions, avoiding spurious issues such as volumetric locking and appropriate ways to formulate MPM equilibrium equations.

Teaching

Will currently teaches in the following areas: finite-element method, non-linear mechanics (large deformation mechanics and plasticity), contact mechanics and aircraft structures. In the past he has also taught courses on plasticity for metal forming, structural analysis, land surveying and Critical State soil mechanics as well as coursework in the areas of finite-element analysis, plasticity, contact and geometric non-linearity.

Research interests

finite-elements (continuous and discontinuous Galerkin)
hyperplasticity
finite deformation mechanics
geomaterials
elasto-plasticity
stress integration
fracture prediction
material point method
offshore geotechnics

Awarded Grants

2017: A New Partnership in Offshore Wind(£767499.35 from Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
2016: Screw piles for wind energy foundation systems(£324807.00 from Epsrc)
2015: Resilient rail infrastructure: dissipation driven fracture analysis of concrete support systems(£188326.00 from Epsrc)

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

Engineering:
Mechanics:

Publications

Chapter in book

Conference Paper

Pretti, G., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2022), A comparison of approaches for modelling poro-mechanics in the Material Point Method, UKACM 2022. Nottingham, UK, UK Association for Computational Mechanics.
Gavin, N., Coombs, W.M., Brigham, J.C. & Augarde, C.E. (2022), MRI to MPM: Developing a Patient-specific Material Point Method Model of the Human Heart, UKACM 2022. Nottingham, UK, UK Association for Computational Mechanics.
Pretti, G., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Puigvert, M.M., Gutierrez, J.A.R. & Cross, L. (2021), A REVIEW OF DRAG ANCHOR PENETRATION MODELS TO INFORM CABLE BURIAL RISK ASSESSMENT, 4th International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG). Austin, Texas.
Matsui, H, Robinson, S, Brown, MJ, Brennan, AJ, Cortis, M, Coombs, WM & Augarde, CE (2019), Investigation into the effect of plough share leading geometry angle on cable plough performance, 16th Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (16 ARC). Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang, L., Cortis, M, Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Brown, M.J., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Davidson, C., Richards, D. & Blake, A. (2019), On Implementation Aspects of Implicit MPM for 3D Analysis, Second International Conference on the Material Point Method for Modelling Soil-Water-Structure Interaction. Cambridge, UK.
Coombs, W.M. Augarde, C.E. Brennan, A.J., Brown, M.J., Charlton, T.J., Knappett, J.A., Ghaffari Motlagh, Y. & Wang, L. (2019), On the issues associated with applying traditional Lagrangian mechanics to the material point method, Second International Conference on the Material Point Method for Modelling Soil-Water-Structure Interaction. Cambridge, UK.
Davidson, C., Al-Baghdadi, T., Brown, M.J., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Augarde, C.E., Wang, L., Coombs, W.M., Richards, D., Blake, A. & Ball, J. (2018), Centrifuge modelling of screw piles for offshore wind energy foundations, in McNamara, Andrew, Divall, Sam, Goodey, Richard, Taylor, Neil, Stallebrass, Sarah & Panchal, Jignasha eds, 9th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG 2018). London, UK, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 695-700.
Coombs, W.M. & Ghaffari Motlagh, Y. (2018), On the use of NURBS plasticity for geomaterials, in Cardoso, A. S., Borges, J. L., Costa, P. A., Gomes, A. T., Marques, J. C. & Vieira, C. S. eds, 1: NUMGE 2018: 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. Porto, Portugal, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London, 47-52.
Wang, L., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Brown, M.J., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Davidson, C., Richards, D. & Blake, A. (2018), On the use of the material point method to model problems involving large rotational deformation, in Cardoso, A. S., Borges, J. L., Costa, P. A., Gomes, A. T., Marques, J. C. & Vieira, C. S. eds, NUMGE 2018: 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. Porto, Portugal, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London, 585-592.
Augarde, C.E., Bing, Y., Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M., Cortis, M., Brown, M.J.Z. & Brennan, A (2018), Issues with the Material Point Method for geotechnical modelling, and how to address them, in Cardoso, A. S., Borges, J. L., Costa, P. A., Gomes, A. T., Marques, J. C. & Vieira, C. S. eds, NUMGE 2018: 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. Porto, Portugal, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London, 593-601.
Davidson, C., Al-Baghdadi, T., Brown, M.J., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Augarde, C.E., Coombs, W.M., Wang, L., Richards, D., Blake, A. & Ball, J. (2018), A modified CPT based installation torque prediction for large screw piles in sand, in Hicks, Michael A., Pisanò, Federico & Peuchen, Joek eds, Cone Penetration Testing 2018. Delft, Netherlands, CRC Press, London, 255-261.
Hashim, A., Coombs, W.M., Hattori, G. & Augarde, C.E. (2018), Comparison of implicit and explicit methods for non-ordinary state-based peridynamics for quasi-static problems, 28th International Workshop on Computational Mechanics of Materials (IWCMM28). Glasgow, UK.
Wang, L., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Brown, M., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Richards, D. & Blake, A. (2017), Modelling screwpile installation using the MPM, in Rohe, A., Soga, K., Teunissen, H. & Coelho, B.Z. eds, 175: 1st International Conference on the Material Point Method (MPM 2017). Delft, Netherlands, Elsevier, 124-132.
Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2017), Gradient elasto-plasticity with the generalised interpolation material point method, in Rohe, A., Soga, K., Teunissen, H. & Coelho, B.Z. eds, 175: 1st International Conference on the Material Point Method (MPM 2017). Delft, Netherlands, Elsevier, 110-115.
Cortis, M., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Robinson, S., Brown, M. & Brennan, A. (2017), Modelling seabed ploughing using the material point method, in Rohe, A. , Soga, K. , Teunissen, H. & Coelho, B.Z. eds, 175: 1st International Conference on the Material Point Method. Delft, The Netherlands, Elsevier, 1-7.
Ghaffari Motlagh, Y. & Coombs, W.M. (2017), An implicit high-order material point method, in Rohe, A., Soga, K., Teunissen, H. & Coelho, B.Z. eds, 175: 1st International Conference on the Material Point Method (MPM 2017). Delft, Netherlands, Elsevier, 8-13.
Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2017), On the implementation of gradient plasticity with the material point method, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 240-243.
Robinson, S., Brown, M.J., Brennan, A.J., Cortis, M., Augarde, C.E. & Coombs, W.M. (2017), Improvement of seabed cable plough tow force prediction models, 8th International Conference on Offshore Site Investigation & Geotechnics (SUT OSIG). London, Society for Underwater Technology, London, 914-921.
Hashim, N.A., Coombs, W.M., Hattori, G. & Augarde, C.E. (2017), An implicit implementation of non-ordinary state-based peridynamics, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 134-137.
Fan, L. Augarde, C.E. & Coombs, W.M. (2017), The point collocation method with a local maximum entropy approach, in Faramarzi, A & Dirar, S eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 232-235.
Wang, L., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E. & Brown, M. (2017), Implicit MPM with second-order convected particle domain interpolation, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 264-267.
Adams, T., Giani, S & Coombs, W.M. (2017), Level set based topology optimisation using high-order reinitialisation methods and the discontinuous Galerkin method, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 18-21.
Cortis, M., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.E., Robinson, S., Brennan, A. & Brown, M. (2017), The modelling of soil-tool interaction using the material point method, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 211-214.
Bird, R., Coombs, W.M. & Giani, S. (2017), A discontinuous Galerkin hp-adaptive finite element method for brittle crack propagation, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 138-141.
Mukwiri, R.A., Ghaffari Motlagh, Y., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2017), Energy dissipation in granular materials in triaxial tests, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 191-194.
Al-Baghdadi, T., Brown, M.J., Davidson, C., Knappett, J., Brennan, A., Wang, L., Coombs, W.M., Augarde, C.W., Richards, D. & Blake, A. (2017), CPT-based design procedure for installation torque prediction for screw piles installed in sand, 1: 8th International Conference on Offshore Site Investigation & Geotechnics (SUT OSIG). London, Society for Underwater Technology, London, 346-353.
Bing, Y., Cortis, M., Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2017), Boundary representation and boundary condition imposition in the material point method, in Faramarzi, A. & Dirar, S. eds, 25th UKACM Conference on Computational Mechanics. Birmingham, UK, University of Birmingham, 256-259.
Coombs, W.M (2017), Hardening and non-associated flow NURBS plasticity, in Oñate, E., Owen, D.R.J., Peric, D. & Chiumenti, M. eds, COMPLAS 2017: XIV International Conference on Computational Plasticity: Fundamentals and Applications. Barcelona, Spain, International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Barcelona, 363-372.
Robinson, S, Brown, M.J. Brennan, A.J., Cortis, M., Augarde, C.E. & Coombs, W.M. (2016), Improving seabed cable plough performance for offshore renewable energy, in Guedes Soares, C. eds, 2nd International Conference on Renewable Energies offshore. Lisbon, Spain, CRC Press, 1-7.
Charlton, T.J, Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2016), Gradient elasticity with the material point method, VII European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering, ECCOMAS 2016. Crete, Greece.
Adams, T., Giani, S. & Coombs, W.M. (2016), Topology optimisation using level set methods and the discontinuous Galerkin method, ACME - UK 2016 24th Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 6-9.
Mukwiri, R.A., Ghaffari Motlagh, Y., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2016), Energy dissipation in granular material under 1D compression, ACME - UK 2016 24th Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 231-234.
Robinson, Scott, Brown, Mike J., Brennan, Andrew J., Cortis, Michael, Augarde, Charles E. & Coombs, William M. (2016), Development of low cost 3D soil surface scanning for physical modelling, 3rd European Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (Eurofuge 2016),. Nantes, France.
Coombs, W.M. (2016), On the use of Plastic Inserts in Prestressed Railway Components, in Pombo, J. eds, Railways 2016 - The Third International Conference on Railway Technology: Research, Development and Maintenance. Cagliari, Sardinia, Civil-Comp Press, Stirling, 330.
Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2016), Gradient elasticity with the material point method, ACME - UK 2016 24th Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 112-115.
Bird, R.E., Coombs, W.M. & Giani, S. (2016), Two dimensional configurational-force-driven crack propagation using the discontinuous Galerkin method with rp-adaptivity, ACME - UK 2016 24th Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 137-140.
Ghaffari Motlagh, Y. & Coombs, W.M. (2016), A high-order material point method, ACME - UK 2016 24th Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 352-355.
Cortis, M., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2016), Implicit essential boundaries in the Material Point Method, 24th UK Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Cardiff, UK, Cardiff University, Cardiff, 116-119.
Ghaffari Motlagh, Y. & Coombs, W.M. (2016), An implicit time integration high-order material point method for small and large deformation problems: formulation and analysis within the isogeometric framework, VII European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering, ECCOMAS 2016. Crete, Greece.
Leung, A., Anastasopoulos, I.X., Augarde, C.E., Barreto, D., Brennan, A.J., Brown, M.J.Z., Connolly, D., Coombs, W.M., Davies, T., Gao, Z., Ivanovic, A., Kenny, M., Knappett, J.A., Lombardi, D., McDougall, J., Medero, G., Muir Wood, D., El Mountassir, G., Osman, A.S., Pytharouli, S., Sentenac, P., Stewart, B., Switzer, C., Tarantino, A., Wheeler, S.J., Woodward, P.K. & Zielinski, M. (2015), An overview of research activities and achievement in Geotechnics from the Scottish Universities Geotechnics Network (SUGN), in Winter, M.G., Smith, D.M., Eldred, P.J.L & Toll, D.G. eds, 16th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Edinburgh, UK, Thomas Telford, ICE Publishing, 4289-4294.
Coombs, W.M. (2015), On isogeometric yield envelopes, COMPLAS 2015: XIII International Conference on Computational Plasticity: Fundamentals and Applications. Barcelona, Spain, Barcelona.
Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2015), On the implicit implementation of the Generalised Interpolation Material Point method, in Gil, Antonio J. & Sevilla, Rubén eds, 23rd Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering, ACME-UK 2015. Swansea, Wales, UK, Swansea University, Swansea, 413-416.
Charlton, T.J., Coombs, W.M. & Augarde, C.E. (2014), A review of the Material Point Method and its links to other computational methods, in Javadi, A. & Hussain, M.S. eds, 22nd UK National Conference of the Association of Computational Mechanics in Engineering (ACME). Exeter, University of Exeter, Exeter, 17-20.
Coombs, W.M. & Crouch, R.S. (2014), Fabric anisotropy & DEM informed two-surface hyperplasticity: constitutive formulation, asymptotic states & experimental validation, in Soga, K., Kumar, K., Biscontin, G. & Kuo, M. eds, TC105 ISSMGE international symposium on Geomechanics from Micro to Macro. Cambridge, UK, CRC Press, Cambridge, 777-782.
Ullah, Z., Augarde, C.E. & Coombs, W.M (2013), Three-dimensional FE-EFGM adaptive coupling and its applications in the nonlinear adaptive analysis, in Osman, A, Akkerman, I, Augarde, CE, Coombs, WM, Crouch, R, Koziara, T & Trevelyan, J eds, CM13. Durham, UK, School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, Durham University, Durham.
Coombs, W.M. (2013), Unique Critical State single-surface anisotropic hyperplasticity, in Onate, E., Owen, D.R.J, Peric, D & Suarez, B eds, XII International Conference on Computational Plasticity. Fundamentals and Applications. COMPLAS XII. Barcelona, Spain, Barcelona.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Heaney, C.E. (2012), Plane-strain Mohr-Coulomb inelasticity, in Yang, Z.J. eds, 20th UK National Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering (ACME). Manchester, UK, Manchester, 259-262.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2011), Unique Critical State Hyperplasticity, in Laghrouche, O., EL Kacimi, A. Woodward, P. & Medero, G. eds, Proceedings of the 19th UK National Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering. Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 49-52.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2011), On the f fields of inadmissible stress space, in Oñate, E, Owen, DRJ, Peric, D & Suárez, B eds, Computational Plasticity XI: Fundamentals and Applications (COMPLAS XI). Barcelona, Spain, International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Barcelona.
Coombs, W.M. & Crouch, R.S. (2011), Reuleaux plasticity: improving Mohr-Coulomb and Drucker-Prager, in Barends, F.B.J. Breedeveld, J., Brinkgreve, R.B.J., Korff, M. & van Paassen, L.A. eds, Geotechnical Engineering: New Horizons. Proceedings of the 21st European Young Geotechnical Engineers' Conference. Rotterdam, the Netherlands, IOS Press, Rotterdam, 241-247.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2010), On the use of Reuleaux plasticity for geometric non-linear analysis, in Zervos, A. eds, 18th UK Conference on Computational Mechanics (ACME). Southampton, England, Southampton, 113-116.
Heaney, C.E., Augarde, C.E., Deeks, A.J., Coombs, W.M. & Crouch, R.S. (2010), Advances in meshless methods with application to geotechnics, in Benz, T. & Nordal, S. eds, Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering 7th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. Trondheim, Norway, CRC Press/Balkema, Trondheim, 239-244.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2010), 70-line 3D finite deformation elastoplastic finite-element code, in Benz, T. & Nordal, S. eds, 7th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE). Trondheim, Norway, Taylor & Francis Group, Trondheim, 151-156.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2009), Influence of Lode Angle Dependency on the Critical State for Rotational Plasticity, in Oñate, E., Owen, D.R.J. & Suárez, B. eds, Computational Plasticity X: Fundamentals and Applications (COMPLAS X). Barcelona, Spain, Barcelona.
Coombs, W.M., Crouch, R.S. & Augarde, C.E. (2009), On the necessity for rotational yielding in anisotropic plasticity, in Sansour, C. eds, 17th UK Conference on Computational Mechanics (ACME). Nottingham, England, Nottingham, 345-348.

Doctoral Thesis

Coombs, W.M. (2011). Finite deformation of particulate geomaterials: frictional and anisotropic Critical State elasto-plasticity. School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. Durham University. PhD.

Journal Article