Dr. Jesper Christensen

Jesper Christensen started his “mechanical engineering” activities as an engine fitter apprentice working on large marine propulsion systems; a 3 year degree. After completion he enrolled at University studying “Industrial Engineering”; and was awarded a BSc in 2007. Following this he completed his MSc in “Design of Mechanical Systems” in 2010. During his studies he undertook several industrial based projects focused on optimisation; e.g. the development of an antivibration mount to improve fatigue life for a 250kg sewage pump in collaboration with Grundfoss. Before completing his MSc he also undertook a 4 month placement at Jaguar Land Rover focusing on FE correlation of foam material models for automotive seating.

Since joining Coventry University Jesper’s work has primarily focused on the development and implementation of optimisation algorithms for lightweighting applications, and has led to several invited presentations; for example to the German Association for Computational Mechanics, Dresden, 2012 and at in the House of Commons at the Set For Britain event in 2013. He was awarded his PhD on the topic of “Topology Optimisation of Structures Exposed to Large (non-linear) Deformations” in September 2015. Jesper is an active member of the IMeche and the STEM network.

• Christensen, J., and Bastien, C. (2015) Nonlinear Optimization of Vehicle Safety Structures Butterworth-Heimann.
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., Blundell, M. V., and Batt, P.A. (2013) ‘Buckling Considerations and Cross-Sectional Geometry Development for Topology Optimised Body In White’. International Journal of Crashworthiness 18 (4), 319-330.
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., and Blundell, M.V. (2013) ‘The Feasibility of ESLM for BIW Roof Structure Development and Optimisation’. Journal of Mathematical Research and Applications 1 (2), 34-47.
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., Blundell, M.V., and Ravenhall N. (2012) ‘Development of front end crash structures for future lightweight EV’. Global Journal of Researches in Engineering - Automotive Engineering 12 (3).
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., Blundell, M.V., Grimes, O., Appella, A., Bareham, G., and O'Sullivan, K.  (2012) ‘Generation of Optimised Hybrid Electric Vehicle Body In White Architecture from a Styling Envelope’. Global Journal of Researches in Engineering - Automotive Engineering,12 (1).
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., and Blundell, M.V. (2011) ‘Effects of Roof Crush Loading Scenarios Upon Body in White using Topology Optimisation’. International Journal of Crashworthiness 17 (1), 29-38.
• Christensen, J., Bastien, C., Blundell, M.V., Gittens, A., and Tomlin, O. (2011) ‘Lightweight Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Structural Topology Optimisation Investigation Focusing on Crashworthiness’. International Journal of Vehicle Structures and Systems 3 (2), 113-122.

• Gyrodrive Original Equipment Development. GKN Hybrid Power has developed a hybrid system to regenerate braking energy on city buses using their Gyrodrive system with a high speed flywheel originally developed for Le Mans Prototypes using KERS technology. In this project, GKN Hybrid Power has joined with GKN AutoStructures, Coventry University, S&S Windings and Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), the UK’s biggest bus manufacturer, to develop a solution that will be optimised for fitment to buses as original equipment. Initial development has shown fuel savings in excess of 20% for bus operators. GKN aims to exploit the technology in its key customer markets including commercial vehicles and off highway machines.
• Virtual Exhaust Prototyping (VExPro).The aim of this project is to optimise the throughput of multi-disciplinary and multi-physics optimisation problems. The project will focus on optimising a lightweight exhaust system encompassing areas of thermo-mechanical, mechanical, acoustics, vibration, manufacturing and light-weighting analysis and design in a High Performance Computing (HPC) Environment. The project will explore the aspect of numerical accuracy and uncertainty between physical principles, theory, mathematical modelling and analytical methods. This will be achieved by "scaling" model complexities in order to "harmonise" multi-physics computing requirements, run time and accuracy. The project aim is to investigate the potential trade-off between accuracy and the computing time in a multi-physics and multi-disciplinary optimisation context by defining, developing and validating (against physical experimentation) an optimisation algorithm for HPC computing with an ultimate aim of eliminating the use of prototypes. The project brings together Unipart Eberspächer Exhaust Systems Ltd. (UEES) and Coventry University (CU) in a 2 year project.
• Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project (LCVTP). The Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project was a collaboration between leading automotive companies and research partners, revolutionising the way vehicles are powered and manufactured. The project concentrated on fifteen separate technical R&D workstreams, each working closely with selected SMEs in the West Midlands region.