Updated: 04 March 2001

Academic Staff - Civil Engineering
Awaiting Picture		Professor Geoffrey N Bullock School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Palace Court, Palace Street Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2DE, UK Tel: +44 (0)1752 233666 Fax: +44 (0)1752 233658 e-mail:
Introduction I am a Research Professor within the School of Civil and Structural Engineering. In addition to my research and teaching I have responsibilities in the area of overseas admissions. 1964: BSc First Class Honours in Civil Engineering, University of Southampton. 1967 - 71: Engineer, Central Laboratory, George Wimpey & Co Ltd. 1968: PhD, Wave Run-up, University of Southampton. 1971 - 83: Lecturer / Senior Lecturer Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salford. 1983: Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, MICE. 1983: Chartered Engineer, CEng. 1983 - 90: Reader, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Plymouth Polytechnic / University of Plymouth. 1990 - 97: Professor & Head of the School of Civil & Structural Engineering, University of Plymouth. 1993 - 97: Co-Director, Plymouth EPSRC Engineering Design Centre, University of Plymouth. 1997 - date: Research Professor, School of Civil & Structural Engineering, University of Plymouth.
Research My research interests have embraced a wide range of topics within the areas of hydraulics, coastal engineering and engineering design. During my early career I was mainly engaged on hydraulic model studies for a wide variety of projects including breakwater, hydroelectric, spillway, flip-bucket, pumphouse, river crossing and barrage designs. Subsequently I became interested in ways of harnessing the large reserves of energy available in rivers, tides and waves. Major studies were undertaken with support from the Department of Energy / Energy Technology Support Unit (ETSU) for a number of novel devices for which patents were obtained. More recently my interests have fallen mainly within the areas of engineering design and wave structure interaction. I was a founder member of the University of Plymouth's Engineering Design Centre, the only such centre established by the Science and Engineering Research Council in a New University. Since its formation in 1991 the Centre has been engaged on the development of computational techniques, such as the genetic algorithm, for the optimisation of engineering product and system designs. Design applications have been as diverse as a low-head hydropower device, an arch dam, building layouts, electronic circuits and jet engines. Collaborators have included a civil engineering consultancy, a building products manufacturer, Rolls Royce and British Aerospace. During my time at Plymouth, I have been responsible for the development of the School's wave facility. This is equipped with two computer-controlled absorbing wavemakers capable of generating either regular or irregular waves. The facility has been used for a wide variety of tests on reflective coastal structures such as breakwaters and sea walls. Many of the studies have been carried out in collaboration with major research organisations throughout Europe as part of the European Union Marine Science and Technology (MAST) Programme. The School's expertise in instrument development has enabled aeration levels to be measured at the same time as impact pressures when waves break against steep fronted structures. Tests using both fresh and sea water have shown that the air entrained in breakers can have a major influence on the magnitude and duration of impact pressures. They have also provided new insights into how scale and water type can influence the results of hydraulic model tests. Currently, the wave facility is being used to study wave interaction as part of an international investigation into swash zone hydrodynamics. The School's capability for laboratory investigations has been complemented by the development of a unique range of equipment for taking full-scale measurements in the field. The School's own divers play an important role in the deployment of this equipment assisted by staff based in the University's Diving and Sailing Centre. The Centre can also provide a variety of boats. The equipment includes a recording system which enables the height and direction of storm waves to be determined in the immediate vaciity of a reflective structure. This instrument has been used to investigate the behaviour of a variety of natural and man-made structures including the offshore breakwaters which are now being used to control beach erosion. Recently one of the School's wave recording systems has been deployed just seaward of one of Britain's most exposed breakwaters on Alderney in the Channel Islands (see picture below). Other instruments for measuring both impact pressures and aeration levels were mounted on the outer face of the breakwater. The results, together with those from complementary laboratory measurements, have contributed to an international effort to develop improved methods for breakwater design funded by the European Commission. I have held numerous UK / European research grants and contracts, and have supervised over 20 research students. I have also been an external examiner for many UK and overseas Universities including Imperial College, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Southampton, Leeds, Aalborg, Brisbane and Auckland.
Publications My recent publications include the following:- Bullock, G.N., Denham, M.J., Parmee, I.C. and Wade, J. (1995) Developments in the use of the genetic algorithm. Design Studies. Butterworth-Heineman, Elsevier Science Ltd., Oxford, Vol.16, No.4, pp 507 - 524. Bird, P.A.D., Davidson, M.A., Ilic, S., Bullock, G.N., Chadwick, A.J., Axe, P. and Huntley, D.A. (1996) Wave reflection, transformation and attenuation characteristics of rock island breakwaters. Advances in Coastal Structures and Breakwaters. Proc. Int. Conf at the Institution of Civil Engineers. Ed. Clifford, J.E., Thomas Telford, London, pp 93 - 06. Davidson, M.A., Bird, P.A.D., Bullock, G.N. and Huntley, D.A. (1996) A new non-dimensional number for the analysis of wave reflection from rock armoured breakwaters. Coastal Engineering, 28, pp 93 - 120. Crawford, A.J., Bullock, G.N., Hewson, P.J. and Bird, P.A.D. (1998) Wave impact pressures and aeration at a breakwater. Ocean Wave Measurement and Analysis. American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol.2, pp 1366 - 1379. Bullock, G.N., Hewson, P.J., Crawford, A.R. and Bird, P.A.D. (2000) Field and laboratory measurement of wave loads on vertical breakwaters. Coastal Structures '99, Losada (ed), Balkema, Rotterdam, Vol. 2, pp 613 - 621. Click here for more papers and publications
Teaching My teaching is now concentrated in the general area of Coastal Engineering and embraces the characteristics of wind, waves, tides, coastal processes and the hydrodynamic loading on coastal and offshore structures. I was responsible for the introduction of the School's popular Coastal Engineering Design option in which students have the opportunity to design structures such as breakwaters, harbours, marinas and coastal defence structures. Many of the final year undergraduate projects which I supervise make use of the School's large computer-controlled laboratory wave channel or field data. Final year projects are also used to maintain my wide interest in hydraulics, renewable energy and engineering design.
Other Activities
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