A/Prof. Philip ( Phil ) Clausen

Biography

Since starting my academic career, the small wind turbine research work has attracted over $500,000 in research income. In 2005 a colleague formed a company, Aerogenesis Australia to commercialise the wind turbine technology developed by the group. This company has received $1.245m to commercialise the groups small wind turbine technology.

The computational biomechanics research group has received significant publicity in the popular scientific literature and film including:

• A segment on Catalyst ABC science program covering the jaw testing and palaeontology of the Marsupial Lion, Thylacoleo (Series 6 Episode 38 2005).
• Dingo had measure of Tassie tiger article published in BBC News (online) reporting the finding of our paper which predicted the Tasmanian tiger to have more powerful bite but the dingo was better equipped to deal with struggling prey (September 2007).
• Sabre-toothed cats were weak in the jaw article in Nature news reporting the findings of our paper into the popular science press (October 2007).
• 'Crash-tested' skulls throw light on extinctions article in New Scientist about the groups finite element work on great white shark jaw (April 2008).
• The work on the great white shark, documented in Wroe et al. (2008), has made the top 100 stories of 2008 in DISCOVER Science technology and the Future magazine.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Newcastle, 1988
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), University of Newcastle, 1983

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Research

Research keywords

• computational biomechanics
• finite element modelling
• mechanical engineering design
• small wind turbine systems

Research expertise

Small wind turbine dynamics and fatigue testing and issures related to small wind turbine blades

Computational biomechanics. Creating, solving and interpreting the results of detailed finite element models of biological structures.

Collaboration

My research consists of work in two areas: small wind turbine dynamics, and computational biomechanics. The former is about undertaking research to bring the level of performance of small wind turbines up to that of their larger counterparts, and for the latter using traditional engineering computational tools to understand the forces that drive the evolution of skeletal morphology.

My interest in small wind turbine research has steadily evolved from a focus on the fundamental issues of small wind turbine dynamics to a more specialised focus on lifespan issues of small wind turbine blades. My early research interests lay in understanding the dynamic forces acting on small wind turbine blades operating in a wide range of flow regimes. The results of this work have been used to determine the design of the composite structure of wind turbine blades; that is the amount, type and lay of the fibreglass matting within the blades load-carrying external shell. It has led to the development of an accelerated blade fatigue test program which is used to quantify the lifespan of the structure of small wind turbine blades. A practical outcome of this research is the design of a high efficiency light-weight blade for small wind turbines. This technology will help reduce the cost and improve the performance of small wind turbines leading to cheaper renewable energy technology.

My research work in computational biomechanics began in 2005 with a multi-disciplinary group formed in 2006 consisting of an engineer (me), a biologist and two palaeontologists. As the only engineer and a foundation member in the group as well as the finite element expert, I drive the computational analysis work providing modelling solutions to biological mechanisms and the interpretation of the computational results. We can now create high resolution, detailed heterogeneous finite element models of biological structure within 2 hours. The group has to date undertaken a reverse engineering analysis of the iconic fossil sabre-toothed cat (Smilodon fatalis), an analysis of the biomechanical factors underlying the out-competing of the Tasmanian Tiger on mainland Australia by the dingo, modelling of bite force in Great White Sharks, an investigation of skull mechanics in Komodo dragons, and a re-evaluation of jaw mechanics in mammals.

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
091305	Energy Generation, Conversion And Storage Engineering	50
111699	Medical Physiology Not Elsewhere Classified	25
060899	Zoology Not Elsewhere Classified	25

Centres and Groups

Centre

• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Energy

Awards

Recognition.

2008	Postgraduate supervisor of the year award Newcastle University postgraduate student association (Australia) Contribution to postgraduate education

Invitations

TUNRA Consultant TUNRA, Australia (Consulting)

2006

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Administrative

Administrative expertise

Assistant Dean (International) for the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Head of mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering

Deputy Head of School of Engineering

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Teaching

Teaching keywords

• computer aided engineering
• finite element analysis
• mechanical engineering design

Teaching expertise

Finite element analysis

Mechanical Engineering design

Computer Aided Eningeering