Dr Richard Collins

Lecturer in Water Engineering

Email: r.p.collins@sheffield.ac.uk

Richard graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2005. He completed his PhD on the use of smart materials in valves in the Departments of Materials and Mechanical Engineering. In 2009 he joined our Department as a researcher looking into the risks of hydraulic transients in water distribution systems.

Richard’s research helps to ensure our vitally important water distribution systems are durable and resilient enough to withstand the conditions they have to cope with. In trying to understand the complex problems our ageing water infrastructure faces, he hops to make a major contribution to improving operation, control and management of existing buried pipe infrastructure, maximising its performance and helping to guarantee the quality and safety of drinking water.

Richard’s current research interests are involved with the dynamics of water distribution systems and specifically the assessment and mitigation of risks of pressure transients. He studies pressure transients, measures changes in the properties inside pipes to detect pressure waves and aims to locate damage or blockages. This covers all aspects of hydraulic transients, from probabilistically modelling their propagation, to assessing their potential to cause water quality failures. This work is funded by RCUK and relevant industrial partners. In addition, Richard is part of projects exploring the future of water distribution, from smart infrastructure to autonomous robotic systems.