Academic staff

HomeAcademic staffDr Geoff Goss

Dr Geoff Goss

gossga@lsbu.ac.uk

Mechanical Engineering and Design

  • 1272
    total views of outputs
  • 1240
    total downloads of outputs
  • 3
    views of outputs this month
  • 15
    downloads of outputs this month

I worked my way through the part-time route of higher education as a mature student. My BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering was at LSBU, my MSc in Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos at UCL, and my PhD at UCL too, supervised by Prof Michael Thompson (FRS). I also have a MA in Historical Research Methods (part-time study at Birkbeck).

My research area is on the large deformations of elastic rods and involves the application of Cosserat theory.

Over recent years, I have developed a bespoke laboratory for rod

research. Experimental data gathered from that lab, along with parallel theoretical work, has culminated in a number of publications in reputable international mechanics journals.

Animal whiskers:

2017-2022: I have been PI on Modelling the Mechanics and Engineering Applications of Animal Whiskers (MMEAW), a multidisciplinary research project involving animal behaviour and mechanics. This involves Dr Robyn Grant of MMU and Prof Gert van der Heijden of UCL. I am also Co-I on a Royal Society APEX grant for whisker research.

Squirrel jumping: I am collaborating with Dr Lisa Leaver and Dr Dom Farris, from Exeter University. We are investigating squirrel jumping - specifically trying to understand how squirrels use the elasticity and flexibility of branches.

Insect wings: I am collaborating with colleague Dr Hamed Rajabi on the mechanics of insect wings.

Courses taught

Mechanical Engineering - MEng / BEng (Hons)

Mechanical Engineering - MSc

Mechanical Engineering - BEng (Hons)

Postgraduate Research Supervision
Current
Mr Sepehr Hajali EraghiDeployable origami structure design inspired by the asymmetric insect wing hingesPhD
Miss Gemma Ann RansonAnalysis of Amputee Needs in Northern Sri LankaPhD
Mr Nasif Bin SaifDoctoral Research ProjectPhD

Awarded in the last 5 years
Mr Ridouan ChaoukiLoop Formation and Contact Problems in Elastic RodsPhD
PhD

UCL

1997
2003
Welding Technician
LSBU

Welding and manufacturing student projects and research rigs

1990
2004
Education
Coded Pipe Welder
BOC and others

welding pressure vessels and pipelines.

1981
1990
Commercial/industry
FunderYear wonProjectRole
Royal Society2021MMMMammalWhiskers: Morphology, Mechanics and Movement of Mammalian WhiskersPrincipal Investigator
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)2016MMEAW: Modelling the MEchanics of Animal WhiskersPrincipal Investigator
ProposalProjectRoleFunderStatusStatus last updated
BBSRC Standard research grant - 2024 Round 2 led by MMUBBSRC bid led by MMUPrincipal InvestigatorBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)OPEN In preparationMar 2024
The role of veins in the control of wing shape in flying insectsThe role of veins in the control of wing shape in flying insectsPrincipal InvestigatorLeverhulme TrustOPEN SubmittedNov 2023
Mammal Society
2000

Ecomorphology reveals Euler spiral of mammalian whiskers.
Dougill, G., Starostin, E.L., Milne, A.O., van der Heijden, G.H.M., Goss, G.A. and Grant, R.A. (2020). Ecomorphology reveals Euler spiral of mammalian whiskers. Journal of morphology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21246

The Euler Spiral of Rat Whiskers
Starostin, E., Grant, R.A., Dougill, G., van der Heijden, G.H.M. and Goss, G. (2020). The Euler Spiral of Rat Whiskers. Science Advances. 6 (3). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax5145

Reach of an Inclined Cantilever with a Tip Load
Singh, P. and Goss, V.G.A. (2019). Reach of an Inclined Cantilever with a Tip Load. Archives of Mechanics. 71 (6), pp. 595-614. https://doi.org/10.24423/aom.3254

The Clamped-Free Rod Under Inclined End Forces and Transitions Between Equilibrium Configurations
Singh, P. and Goss, V.G.A. (2019). The Clamped-Free Rod Under Inclined End Forces and Transitions Between Equilibrium Configurations. Journal of Engineering Mathematics. 117 (1), pp. 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10665-019-10009-7

Critical Points of the Clamped-Pinned Elastica
Singh, P and Goss, VGA (2018). Critical Points of the Clamped-Pinned Elastica. Acta Mechanica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-018-2259-3

Asymptotic analysis of the clamped-pinned elastica
Singh, P. and Goss, VGA (2018). Asymptotic analysis of the clamped-pinned elastica. Archives of Mechanics. 70 (4), pp. 1-20.

Large Llamas with Silver Shoes
Goss, VGA (2017). Large Llamas with Silver Shoes. Society & Animals. 25 (2), pp. 144-162. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685306-12341443

Loading paths for an elastic rod in contact with a flat inclined surface
Goss, VGA (2016). Loading paths for an elastic rod in contact with a flat inclined surface. International Journal of Solids and Structures. 88-89, pp. 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2016.02.042

Describing whisker morphology of the Carnivora
Dougill, G., Brassey, C.A., Starostin, E., Andrews, H., Kitchener, A., van der Heijden, G.H.M., Goss, G. and Grant, R. (2023). Describing whisker morphology of the Carnivora. Journal of morphology. 284 (9), p. e21628. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21628

Theoretical considerations of the mechanics of whisker sensors
Starostin, E., van der Heijden, G. and Goss, G. (2022). Theoretical considerations of the mechanics of whisker sensors . The 10th European Nonlinear Dynamics Conference (ENOC 2022) July 17-22, 2022, Lyon, France. Lyon 17 - 22 Jul 2022

Whisker Sensing by Force and Moment Measurements at the Whisker Base
Starostin, E.L., Goss, V.G.A. and van der Heijden, G. (2022). Whisker Sensing by Force and Moment Measurements at the Whisker Base. Soft Robotics. 10 (2), pp. 326-335. https://doi.org/10.1089/soro.2021.0085

Morphological peculiarities of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) whisker revealed by normal skeletonisation
Goss, G., Starostin, E., Dougill, G. and Grant, R.A. (2022). Morphological peculiarities of a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) whisker revealed by normal skeletonisation. Bioinspiration & biomimetics. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/ac5a6b

What can whiskers tell us about mammalian evolution, behaviour, and ecology?
Grant, R.A. and Goss, V.G. A. (2021). What can whiskers tell us about mammalian evolution, behaviour, and ecology? Mammal Review. 52 (1), pp. 148-163. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12253