About

I am an Associate Professor (Research) in the College of Science and Engineering. My duties include teaching and tutorial guidance for under and post-graduate students including apprentices, programme leadership, innovation and research and industrial consultancy services. I am teaching modules of Engineering Mathematics, Materials, Structural Analysis and Design, and Independent Research Studies; supervising PhD and students' final year projects; and carrying out research in the development and application of advanced testing, computational methods and optimisation for solving problems in multi-disciplinary areas, and my work is based predominantly in different disciplines of engineering, including structural, mechanical, manufacturing and medical-biological engineering.

Research interests

My principal research interests lie in the areas of mechanics of materials including biomaterials, material and structural testing, numerical modelling, Finite Element analysis, and structural optimisation. I am keen on carrying out research that has innovative ideas and industrial-specific applications. In particular, I am applying advanced research methods for the following areas:

• Characterising material properties of materials used in different applications including construction-, composite-, bio- and nano-materials
• Product and process design and development including design optimisation for lightweight structures
• Thermal and acoustic performance of materials and structures in building construction
• Developing new theoretical models for plates of nano-materials under mechanical forces and vibrations
• Concrete and reinforced concrete structures under earthquake loading

Recent publications

• Qadir, S.J., Nguyen, V.B., Hajirasouliha, I., (2024). Design optimisation for cold rolled steel beam sections with web and flange stiffeners. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 108375
• Nguyen, T.T.T., Nguyen, V.B., Thai, M.Q., (2023). Flexural strength of partially concrete-filled steel tubes subjected to lateral loads by experimental testing and Finite Element modelling. Buildings, 13(1), 216
• Qadir, S.J., Nguyen, V.B., Hajirasouliha, I., Ceranic, B., Tracada, E., English, M.A., (2022). Shape optimisation of cold roll formed sections considering effects of cold working. Thin-Walled Structures, 170, 108576
• Qadir, S.J., Nguyen, V.B., Hajirasouliha, I., Cartwright, B., English, M.A., (2021). Optimal design of cold roll formed steel channel sections under bending considering both geometry and cold work effects. Thin-Walled Structures, 157, 107020
• Malikan, M., Nguyen, V.B., (2019). Dynamic modeling of non-cylindrical curved viscoelastic single-walled carbon nanotubes based on the second gradient theory. Materials Research Express, 6, 1-17
• Malikan, M., Nguyen, V.B., Tornabene, F., (2018). Electromagnetic forced vibrations of composite nanoplates using nonlocal strain gradient theory.  Materials Research Express, 5, 1-20
• Malikan, M., Nguyen, V.B., (2018). Damped forced vibration analysis of single-walled carbon nanotubes resting on viscoelastic foundation in thermal environment using nonlocal strain gradient theory. Engineering Science and Technology, an International Journal, 21, 778-786
• Malikan, M., Nguyen, V.B., (2018). Buckling analysis of piezo-magnetoelectric nanoplates in hygrothermal environment based on a novel one variable plate theory combining with higher-order nonlocal strain gradient theory. Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures, 102, 8-28
• Nguyen, V.B., and English, M.E., (2017). Effects of cold roll dimpling process on mechanical and structural properties of dimpled steel. Procedia Engineering, 207, 1290-1295
• Nguyen, V.B., Pham, C.H., Cartwright, B., and English, M.A., (2017). Design of new cold rolled purlins by experimental testing and Direct Strength Method. Thin-Walled Structures, 118, 105-112
• Liang, C., Wang, C.J., Nguyen, V.B., English, M., Mynors, D., (2017). Experimental and numerical study on crashworthiness of cold-formed dimpled steel columns. Thin-Walled Structures, 112, 83-91
• Nguyen, V.B., Mynors, D.J., Wang, C.J., Castellucci, M.A., and English, M.A., (2016). Analysis and design of cold-formed dimpled steel columns using Finite Element techniques. Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 108, 22-31
• Nguyen, V.B., Morgan, T., English, M.A., and Castellucci, M.A., (2015). Vibro-acoustic performance of different steel stud profiles in double-leaf walls by Finite Element analysis. Journal of Building Acoustics, 22(2), 65-80
• Arjunan, A., Wang, C.J., Yahiaoui, K., Mynors, D.J., Morgan, T., Nguyen, V.B., and English, M., (2014). Development of a 3D finite element acoustic model to predict the sound reduction index of stud based double-leaf walls. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 333, 6140-6155
• Nguyen, V.B., Wang, C.J., Mynors, D.J., Castellucci, M.A., and English, M.A., (2014). Dimpling process in cold roll metal forming by finite element modelling and experimental validation. Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 16, 363-372
• Nguyen, V.B., Wang, C.J., Mynors, D.J., Castellucci, M.A., and English, M.A., (2013). Finite Element simulation on mechanical and structural properties of cold-formed dimpled steel. Thin-Walled Structures, 64, 13-22
• Nguyen, V.B., Wang, C.J., Mynors, D.J., English, M.A., and Castellucci, M.A., (2012). Compression tests of cold-formed plain and dimpled steel columns. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 69, 20-29
• Nguyen, V.B., Wang, C.J., Mynors, D.J., English, M.A., and Castellucci, M.A., (2011). Mechanical properties and structural behaviour of cold-rolled formed dimpled steel. Steel Research International, Special Issue, 1072-1077
• Mercade-Prieto, R., Nguyen, V.B., Allen, R., York, D., Preece, J.A., Goodwin, T.E., Zhang, Z., (2011). Determination of the elastic properties of single microcapsules using micromanipulation and finite element modelling. Chemical Engineering Science, 66, 2042-2049
• Nguyen, V.B., Wang, Q.G., Kuiper, N.J., El Haj, A.J., Thomas, C.R., and Zhang, Z., (2010). Biomechanical properties of single chondrocytes and chondrons determined by micro compression and finite element modelling. Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 7, 1723-1733
• Nguyen, V.B., Thomas, C.R., and Zhang, Z., (2009). Mechanical properties of single alginate microspheres determined by microcompression and FE modelling. Chemical Engineering Science, 64, 821-829
• Wang, Q.G., Nguyen, V.B., Thomas, C.R., Zhang, Z., El Haj, A.J., and Kuiper, N.J., (2010). Molecular profiling of single cells in response to mechanical force: comparison of chondrocytes, chondrons and encapsulated chondrocytes. Biomaterials, 31, 1619-1625
• Nguyen, V.B., and Chan, A.H.C., (2006).  Smeared crack models for reinforced concrete bridge piers under cyclic loading. Proceedings of the Eight International Conference on Computational Structures Technology (CST) and the Fifth International Conference on Engineering Computational Technology (ECT), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, Paper No. 125
• Nguyen, V.B., Chan, A.H.C., (2004). Non-linear analysis for reinforced concrete structural members under randomly generated artificial earthquake-like ground motion. Proceedings of the 5th International PhD Symposium in Civil Engineering, 16-19 June, 2004, Delft, the Netherlands.  Vol. 2, 961-969. A. A. Balkema Publisher, London

Membership of professional bodies

Professional interests

I studied MPhil and PhD programmes in Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham, and at the same time, I worked as a Teaching Assistant for undergraduate modules and supporting students' final year projects. I graduated from my doctoral studies at the University of Birmingham in 2006 before beginning a four-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the same university in a research project where I used the best practices in structural and mechanical engineering for solving problems for biomaterials and cells in tissue engineering. I then spent seven years with Hadley Industries plc, a cold roll formed steel manufacturer, working as a Research & Development Engineer in technology and product design development projects for steel building products.

I have been collaborating in research with other universities in the UK. I was an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham for three years after I finished my Research Fellowship there in 2009. I have been a Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Engineering and Design at the University of Sussex since 2015, a guest lecturer at Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Loughborough since 2012 and am working in collaboration with Hadley Group Technology, Hadley Industries plc.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Management and Leadership, Chartered Management Institute, UK
• BEng in Civil Engineering, University of Transportation, Vietnam
• MPhil in Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK
• PhD in Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK

Recent conferences

• Qadir, S.J., Nguyen, V.B., Hajirasouliha, I., English, M.A., (2023). Design optimisation for cold rolled steel beam sections with complex stiffeners considering cold working effects. The 9th International Conference on Thin-Walled Structures (ICTWS 2023), Sydney, Australia, 31 November to 2 December, 2023
• Qadir, S.J., Nguyen, V.B., Hajirasouliha, I., Cartwright, B., English, M.A., (2020). Optimization of flexural strength for cold roll formed sections using design of experiments and response surface methodology. Proceedings of the Cold-Formed Steel Research Consortium Colloquium, 20-22 October, 2020
• Nguyen, V.B., Ngo, C.P., Pham, N.B., Nguyen, T,P., Le, V.P., Nguyen, V.H., (2019). Creep behavior and rutting resistance of asphalt pavements by experimental testing and Finite Element modelling. CIGOS (Congrès International de Géotechnique - Ouvrages - Structures) - Innovation for Sustainable Infrastructure, 31 October - 1 November, Ha noi, Vietnam
• Nguyen, V.B., and English, M.E., (2018). The optimization of thin-walled cold rolled products using Finite Element modelling and Design of Experiments. The 8th International Conference on Thin-Walled Structures (ICTWS 2018), Lisbon, Portugal, July 24-27, 2018
• Nguyen, V.B., and English, M.E., (2017). Effects of cold roll dimpling process on mechanical and structural properties of dimpled steel. The International Conference on the Technology of Plasticity, ICTP 2017, 17-22 September 2017, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Experience in industry

Recently, I have been working on a number of industrial consultancy projects including ERDF projects on the development of new products and delivery of training courses on analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures.

I spent four years working as a graduate engineer and then as a principle engineer in several bridge engineering projects with Nippon Engineering Consultants Co. Ltd, Vietnam. I spent a summer internship with Tedi South, a leading consultant for civil and structural engineering services in Vietnam and had a prestigious internship with the construction of My Thuan Bridge, the first cable-stayed bridge in Vietnam. 

I spent seven years with Hadley Group Technology, Hadley Industries plc, working as a Research & Development Engineer where I committed to improving the structural performance of steel building products through the use of advanced methods including design codes (American, British and European codes), physical testing, analytical and numerical modelling using Finite Element Analysis. This included a three-year KTP project where I worked as a research engineer associate linked with the University of Wolverhampton. My KTP project obtained an 'Outstanding' grade and nominated as a finalist for the Best KTP Award in 2013 by the UK Technology Strategy Board.

International experience

I was a Foreign Talent in the Vietnam FIRST project’s “Foreign Talents STI Grants” in collaboration with the University of Transport and Communications, Vietnam. The research project is about the development of numerical simulation and optimisation technologies for optimal performance of concrete asphalt pavements taking into account the changes in traffic and climate conditions. I am also a guest lecturer at some universities in Vietnam.

Teaching responsibilities

• Engineering Mathematics
• Structural Analysis and Design
• Construction Materials Technology
• Independent Research Studies

Additional interests and activities

External Examiners for PhD/MPhil Viva Voce Examinations at UK and international universities including University of Auckland, University of Sydney, University of Sheffield, University of Coventry. 

Main Reviewers for top engineering journals including Thin-Walled Structures, Structures, Steel Research International, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Medical Engineering Physics, International Journal of Solids and Structures, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, Mechanics Research Communications, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, Aerospace Science and Technology, Mechanics Research Communications.

Member of International Scientific Committee for international conferences including The International Conference series on Geotechnics, Civil Engineering and Structures (CIGOS), Guest Editor of Special Issue of journals Applied Sciences, Buildings.