Dr Humberto Almeida Jr - Queen's University Belfast

Dr Almeida aims to develop lighter, more damage-tolerant, safer, composite aerostructures by means of robust computational models that predict the mechanical response of fibre-reinforced composites under damage-inducing loads. These will account for material and manufacturing uncertainties, combined with a physically based damage model that spans across micro and macro scales. The primary focus of his current research is on quantifying uncertainty in the design and analysing future composite structures.

Using computed tomography X-ray scanning, he is also trying to understand the microstructural changes in composite structures during tensile and compressive loading. These high-resolution images serve as the basis to build image-based finite element models to simulate the mechanical behaviour of composites without losing detail in their microstructures.

Another part of his research is on the optimisation, manufacturing, and modelling of type IV and linerless composite pressure vessels for hydrogen storage.