Professor Alfred Akisanya

Biography

Professor Akisanya studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria where he obtained a First Class, BSc (Honours) degree and M.Sc degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked briefly for Shell Nigeria before subsequently studying for his PhD on Interfacial Fracture at Cambridge University Engineering Department under the supervision of Prof. Norman Fleck, FRS, and with funding from Shell-Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.  He worked as Research Associate at Cambridge University with Prof. Alan Cocks on the mechanics of powder compaction before  joining the lecturing staff of Aberdeen University Engineering Department.   Prof Akisanya is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE). 

External Memberships

• External PhD examiner for Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Cranfield, Surrey, Leicester, Brunel and Newcastle; Universite Pierre & Marie Curie - Paris 6; NTU Singapore; and NUS Singapore
• External Examiner for MSc Petroleum Engineering at Heriot Watt University (2016-2021)
• External Examiner for BEng Mechanical Engineering at University of Leicester (2019 - 2023 )
• External Examiner for MSc Automotive Engineering at Brunel University (2024 - 2028)
• Associate Editor, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education
• Referee for different international scientific journals including: Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids; International Journal of Solids and Structures; International Journal of Mechanical Sciences; The European Journal of Mechanics A/Solids; Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures; International Journal of Fracture; Journal of American Ceramics Society; Journal of Biomechanics.
• Referee of grant proposals for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
• Professional Review Interviewer of Chartered Engineer applicants for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).
• Member of the Academic Standard Panel (ASP) of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Research Overview

• Micromechanics.
• Fracture and design of bonded joints and layered solids.
• Structural integrity and corrosion
• Integrity of Oil and Gas Wells
• Well and Drilling Engineering
• Mechanical behaviour of engineering materials in high pressure-high temperature environment 
• Mechanics of powder compaction.
• Deformation and fracture of bituminous and viscoelastic materials.
• Mechanics of the cold expansion of metallic tubulars.
• Deformation and design optimisation of energy absorbing structures.

Funding and Grants

• “Long-term degradation of buried subsea pipeline coating” funded by Chevron, through the National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), £100.4k, 2024-2027. (Co-I, with Dr Sriramula (PI)  and Dr Siddiq (Co-I).)

• “Longevity and fate of structures left in place” funded by funded by Chevron, through the National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), £200k, 2020-2024. (Co-I, with Dr Sriramula (PI)  and Dr Siddiq (Co-I).)

• “Strengthening academia-industry linkage and research space in the area of civil engineering for food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SAICE)” funded by RAEng, £200k, (with £30k for Aberdeen), 2019-2021. (PI for Aberdeen part, with Igor Guz, Ana Ivanovic Israel Osofero as Co-Is.)  In collaboration with 4 universities in sub-Saharan Africa.

• “Post Decommissioning Monitoring” funded by Shell UK through the National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), £302k, 2019-2022. (Co-I with Dr Sriramula as PI and four other Co-Is.)

• “A study of rock-fluid interaction processes in porous media causing formation damages.”, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Nigeria, £67k, 2017-2020 (Co-investigator with Dr Hamidi as PI).

• “Well control and drilling fluid optimisation in unconventional layered reservoirs”, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Nigeria, £62k, 2016-2018 (Co-investigator with Dr Hamidi as PI)

• “A study to understand the creep behaviour of novel alloys for oil well plugging and abandonment application” £35k; Oil and Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) and Rawwater Engineering Company Ltd., 2016-17 (PI)
• “Condition and integrity assessment of large diameter offshore wire ropes” £33.4k; Technip UK Ltd; 2012-13. (PI)
• “Development of novel structural and sealing components for large sectional tanks.” £125k, KTP with Balmoral Sectional Tanks Ltd, 2011-2013 (Co-investigator, with Prof Guz as PI and Prof Kashtalyan as a co-investigator).
• “Design optimisation and performance of a protruded composite rod for downhole applications in oil and gas wells.” £192k, KTP with Ziebel UK Ltd, 2010-2013 (Co-investigator, with Prof Guz as PI and Dr Menshykov as a co-investigator).
• “Technology assessment for Tobermory field development: materials selection criteria for subsea tieback.”  Funded by Total EP, UK through the National Subsea Research Institute (NSRI); £7k, 2010; (PI).
• “The development of design standards for a friction grip system for securing oil and gas casing”; 2009-2011; £108k, Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Plexus Ocean Systems Ltd. (Co-investigator with Dr Bin Wang as PI).
• “The development of a friction grip system for securing oil and gas casing and tubulars in hostile surface and subsea conditions”; 2006-2008; £150k, Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Plexus Ocean Systems Ltd.(PI, with WF Deans and RD Neilson as co-investigators).
• “Analysis and optimisation of the in-situ hydraulic expansion of oil well tubulars”; 2003-2005; £118k; Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Read Wells Ltd. (PI, with Dr. W.F. Deans as co-investigator).
• “A study of decompression after cold isostatic compaction of ceramics”; 2001-2004; £60k; EPSRC; (co-investigator, with Dr. R.J. Henderson as PI).
• “A study of decompression after cold isostatic compaction of ceramics”; 2001-2004; £9k; Vesuvius UK; (co-investigator, with Dr. R.J. Henderson as PI)
• “The mechanics of cold expansion of tubulars for downhole application in the oil and gas industry”; 2001-2004; £165k; Teaching Company Scheme with Shell International (PI, with Dr. W.F. Deans as co-investigator)
• “The design and analysis of threaded connectors for down-hole applications”; 1999-2001; £80k; Teaching Company Scheme with Petroleum Engineering Services (co-investigator, with Dr. W.F. Deans as Lead Academic).
• “Isostatic pressing of continuous casting refractories”; 1997-2000; £145k; EPSRC; (co-investigator, with Prof. H.W. Chandler as principal investigator).
• “Isostatic pressing of continuous casting refractories”; 1997-2001; £9k; Vesuvius UK; (co-investigator, with Prof. H.W. Chandler as principal investigator).
• “The mechanical behaviour and design optimisation of asphaltic bridge deck expansion plugs”; 1997-2001; £123k; EPSRC; (co-investigator, with Dr. M.S. Imbabi as principal investigator).
• “The development of a large deformation elastomeric bridge plug for wireline applications”; 1996-1998; £80k; Teaching Company Scheme with Petroleum Engineering Services (Lead Academic).

Teaching Responsibilities

EM3015 Stress Analysis

EA2502 Solids and Structures