Dr Jack W Denny BEng(Hons), PhD, CEng MIMechE
EPSRC Doctoral Prize Research Fellow
Dr Jack Denny is an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Research Fellow and Chartered Engineer at the University of Southampton. As an applied blast engineer, Jack’s research investigates the effects of explosions (structures, protection and blast injury) where he has acquired over 5 years of expertise through advanced computational modelling and full-scale experiments.
Jack graduated with a BEng degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Southampton in 2014, achieving both the best exam performance and best undergraduate dissertation awards. Jack completed his PhD in 2017 at the University of Southampton, researching the complex effects of blast loading on structures. His PhD investigated ‘long-duration’ blast effects on steel columns and examined the influence of column section orientation and cumulative damage through experimental testing and advanced numerical modelling (sponsored by EPSRC & AWE plc). Jack’s PhD research involved:
- Original design and management of full-scale experiments at a specialist UK MOD blast facility (£1 million).
- Analysis of novel experimental results and verification of advanced numerical modelling techniques.
- Spatial and temporal blast loading characterisation using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
- Transient nonlinear dynamic structural response modelling of steel columns using Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
In 2017, Jack was awarded an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship, allowing him to diversify and undertake applied blast engineering research within the broader contexts of structural engineering, protective design and blast injury sciences. During his post-doctoral career, Jack has established a multi-institutional consortium including the Faculties of Engineering and Medicine at the University of Southampton, Cranfield University, the University of Cape Town and formed relationships with a number of defence and humanitarian organisations including the US DoD, The HALO Trust and Action on Armed Violence.
In collaboration with Cranfield University and the University of Cape Town (UCT), Jack’s experimental work has investigated the performance of shock tubes, shock propagation through soft tissue simulants and diagnostic methods for quantifying blast load transfer. In 2018, Jack joined UCT as a Visiting Academic (October-December 2018), funded through the UoS’s Global Partnerships Award - Global Research Initiator Scheme. This exchange allowed Jack to undertake a further programme of experiments with UCT’s Blast Impact and Survivability Research Unit (BISRU), utilising their unique blast testing facilities. Improved understanding of blast phenomena and reliable modelling approaches are vital for the development of protective equipment and clinical treatments.
Over the last two years, Jack has formed a humanitarian-focussed, multidisciplinary research agenda and developed an international network to explore the blast injury and protection research challenges pertaining to civilian blast injuries caused by explosive violence and legacy landmines. In 2019, Jack co-founded the International Blast Injury Research Network (IBRN), a trans-disciplinary initiative launched by the UoS (Faculties of Engineering & Medicine) in collaboration with BISRU at UCT. Taking an applied multidisciplinary approach, the IBRN has established a unique evidence-base on the global blast research portfolio. As part of this project, Jack has led stakeholder engagement within African countries and sustained links with UCT through organising two international workshops held in Cape Town during 2019, funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
Work within Jack’s IBRN agenda has recently expanded to include Sri Lanka through a project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).
