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Dr Steve Cochard

PhD in Fluid Mechanics (EPFL), M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (EPFL)
Lecturer in School of Civil Engineering

J05 - J05 Civil Engineering Building
The University of Sydney

Telephone +61 2 9351 3208
Fax +61 2 9351 3343

Website Centre for Wind, Waves and Water

School of Civil Engineering

Biographical details

Steve joined the Fluid and Environmental Group at the School of Civil Engineering after holding a Postdoc position in the Complex Fluids Laboratory at the University of British Columbia. His research has focused on the design, the development and the validation of a PIV system to provide an accurate measurement of the velocity field inside transient free-surface flow of viscoplastic materials.

His Ph.D. thesis entitled `Measurements of Time-Dependent free-surface Viscoplastic flows Down Steep Slopes' was completed under the supervision of Pr. C. Ancey at the Environmental Hydraulic Laboratory at EPFL. A novel fringe projection system was developed to provid accurate instantaneous whole-field 3D shape measurements of the free-surface profile and the spreading rate of non-Newtonian fluids at high repetition rate.

Before joining the Environmental Hydraulic Laboratory Steve had been working for more than four years in industry as an aero-thermodynamics engineer. There he had been associated with multidisciplinary projects with state-of-the art technology and competences. At first he joined for one year the Research and Technology Department of SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer, French National Railway Company) in Paris, France as an internship for my master thesis and then as a consultant on the implementation of solutions to problems related to the complex and hazardous side-wind effect of the new TGV line Paris-Marseille. Some of the key duties were the implementation of a network of weather stations, the development of new algorithms to post-treat wind data and to detect and predict in real time the apparition of dangerous wind conditions that are used to adapt the kinematics of trains to avoid accidents. Later, he joined the Tunnel Ventilation Group at Electrowatt Infra AG in Zürich as a Projet Engineer, where he was a project leader for the development and improvement of ventilation systems on several existing tunnels or tunnel projects in particular in case of accidents leading to hazardous situations for people caught inside the tunnels. He was in charge of the development of numerical tools to simulate smoke, toxic gases and temperature propagation in case of fire in any underground facility with different ventilation configurations and he additionally supervised all the wind-tunnel tests realized for the new Bangkok metro line.

Since graduating, Steve has been involved on both numerical and experimental projects. He particularly enjoys developing new measurement techniques.

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Research interests

From wind blowing around high-speed trains to avalanches rushing down snowy slopes, Dr Steve Cochard's work in wind engineering and fluid mechanics aims to better our understanding of the flow of wind, water and other fluids in order to improve the safety and efficiency of our environment.

"As a wind engineer, I study how the flow of wind around buildings, bridges and other large structures can affect their behaviour, the most famous example of this being the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridges in the US in 1940.

"I also look at how wind can be used to passively remove heat and pollutants from urban streets and other public spaces, reducing the need for heating and cooling and significantly benefitting the health of the people living and working in the city.

"As well as this I have worked on gravity-driven flows such as snow avalanches, and as an aero-thermodynamics expert, carrying out wind tunnel tests on subway and other trains.

"I have a strong interest in experimental fluid mechanics, and I particularly enjoy developing new measurement techniques. So in 2009 when I was offered the opportunity to be in charge of a wind tunnel here at the University of Sydney, I couldn't turn it down.

"Most of my time here is spent working with the wind tunnel and associated instrumentation, recreating the wind conditions encountered by structures such as bridges and skyscrapers and gaining a better understanding of the physics involved.

"My interest in this field started when I was young. I've always been a keen sailor, and when I was 12 years old, during the America's Cup in Fremantle, I read an article in a children's scientific journal about engineers testing the hulls of yachts in towing tanks - and being paid for it! I had found my dream job. Although today I am not working directly with yachts, I do have my dream job in experimental fluid mechanics."

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Teaching and supervision

CIVL2511 - Research Techniques
CIVL3612 - Fluid Mechanics
CIVL5511 - Foundations of Fluid Mechanics
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Selected publications

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Journals

  • Montlaur, A., Cochard, S., Fletcher, D. (2012). Formation of tip-vortices on triangular prismatic-shaped cliffs. Part 2: A computational fluid dynamics study. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 109(5), 21-30.
  • Cochard, S., Letchford, C., Earl, T., Montlaur, A. (2012). Formation of tip-vortices on triangular prismatic-shaped cliffs: Part 1: A wind tunnel study. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 109, 9-20.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2009). Experimental investigation of the spreading of viscoplastic fluids on inclined planes. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 73-84.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2009). The dam-break problem for Herschel-Bulkley viscoplastic fluids down steep flumes. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 18-35.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Andreini, N. (2009). The dam-break problem for viscous fluids in the high-capillary-number limit. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 624, 1-22.
  • Dubash, N., Balmforth, N., Slim, A., Cochard, S. (2009). What is the final shape of a viscoplastic slump? Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 91-100.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2008). Tracking the free surface of time-dependent flows: image processing for the dam-break problem. Experiments in Fluids: experimental methods and their applications to fluid flow, 44(1), 59-71.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Rentschler, M., Wiederseiner, S. (2007). Existence and features of similarity solutions for non-Boussinesq gravity currents. Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 226(1), 32-54.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Wiederseiner, S., Rentschler, M. (2006). Front dynamics of supercritical non-Boussinesq gravity currents. Water Resources Research, 42(8), W08424-1-W08424-9.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2006). Understanding avalanches. Physics World, 19(7), 29-31.
  • Cochard, S. (2003). Validation of the Freeware 'Fire Dynamics Simulator Version 2.0' for Simulating Tunnel Fires. Tunnel Management International, 6(4).

Conferences

  • Edgar, R., Cochard, S., Stachurski, Z. (2012). CFD Analysis of the Flow Between Dual-Layer Orthogonal-Offset Plate Arrays. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Bertholds, A., Cochard, S., Fletcher, D. (2012). CFD Simulations of the New University of Sydney Boundary Layer Closed Circuit Wind Tunnel. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).
  • Huxham, G., Cochard, S., Patterson, J. (2012). Experimental Parametric Investigation of an Oscillating Hydrofoil Tidal Stream Energy Converter. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Earl, T., Ben Salah, R., Thomas, L., Tremblais, B., Cochard, S., David, L. (2012). Volumetric Measurements by Tomographic PIV of an Open Channel Flow Behind a Turbulent Grid. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Cochard, S., Montlaur, A., Fletcher, D., Letchford, C., Earl, T. (2012). Vortex formation above prismatic-shaped cliffs; an experimental and numerical investigation. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).
  • Edgar, R., Cochard, S., Stachurski, Z. (2012). Wind loads on solar panels in dual-layer offset-plate arrangements. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).
  • Cochard, S., Letchford, C., Earl, T. (2011). PIV measurement of the velocity over triangular shaped cliffs. 13th International Conference on Wind Engineering, Amsterdam: Dutch-Flemish Wind Engineering Association.
  • Cochard, S., Lander, D. (2010). A Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Wake Behind a Wind-Turbine in a Turbulent Boundary-Layer Flow. 17th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland.
  • Lander, D., Cochard, S. (2010). Digital correction of pressure signals for vinyl tubing distortions. 14th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop AWES 2010, Australia: Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
  • Cochard, S. (2010). University of Sydney School of Civil Engineering Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel: New Developments. 14th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop AWES 2010, Australia: Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2008). Time-dependent free-surface viscoplastic down steep slopes; experimental results. European Geosciences Union General Assembly EGU 2008, Germany: Copernicus GmbH.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2006). Accurate measurements of free-surface in the dam-break problem. International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics 2006, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis.
  • Rentschler, M., Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2006). Avalanche Simulations. Annual Meeting of the Swiss Group of Rheology 2006, Switzerland: Swiss Group of Rheology.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Rentschler, M., Wiederseiner, S. (2006). Front dynamics of a water surge at high Reynolds number: Similarity solutions to the Saint-Venant equations. International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics 2006, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis.
  • Cochard, S., Sbaiz, L., Ancey, C., Charbon, E. (2006). Real-Time Avalanche and Landslide Analysis through Sensor Networks. 5th Scientific Conference and Panel Review in Zurich MICS 2006, Switzerland: National Center of Competence in Research: Mobile Information & Communication Systems.
  • Ancey, C., Vollmoller, P., Cochard, S. (2005). Rheophysique des suspensions concentrees: cadre theorique et similitude [Rheophysics concentrated suspensions: theoretical framework and similarity]. 17th Congres Francais de Mecanique [French Congress of Mechanics] CFM 2005, France: French Association of Mechanics.
  • Day, J., Cochard, S. (2003). Swiss Tunnels: The new design guidelines and how they are being implemented. 2nd International Conference on Road Tunnel Traffic and Safety 2003.

Magazine / Newspaper Articles

  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2007). Using Laboratory Models to Understand Avalanche Dynamics. The MathWorks News & Notes - June 2007.

2012

  • Edgar, R., Cochard, S., Stachurski, Z. (2012). CFD Analysis of the Flow Between Dual-Layer Orthogonal-Offset Plate Arrays. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Bertholds, A., Cochard, S., Fletcher, D. (2012). CFD Simulations of the New University of Sydney Boundary Layer Closed Circuit Wind Tunnel. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).
  • Huxham, G., Cochard, S., Patterson, J. (2012). Experimental Parametric Investigation of an Oscillating Hydrofoil Tidal Stream Energy Converter. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Montlaur, A., Cochard, S., Fletcher, D. (2012). Formation of tip-vortices on triangular prismatic-shaped cliffs. Part 2: A computational fluid dynamics study. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 109(5), 21-30.
  • Cochard, S., Letchford, C., Earl, T., Montlaur, A. (2012). Formation of tip-vortices on triangular prismatic-shaped cliffs: Part 1: A wind tunnel study. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 109, 9-20.
  • Earl, T., Ben Salah, R., Thomas, L., Tremblais, B., Cochard, S., David, L. (2012). Volumetric Measurements by Tomographic PIV of an Open Channel Flow Behind a Turbulent Grid. 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC 2012, Launceston, Tasmania: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
  • Cochard, S., Montlaur, A., Fletcher, D., Letchford, C., Earl, T. (2012). Vortex formation above prismatic-shaped cliffs; an experimental and numerical investigation. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).
  • Edgar, R., Cochard, S., Stachurski, Z. (2012). Wind loads on solar panels in dual-layer offset-plate arrangements. 15th Australasian Wind Engineering Society (AWES) Workshop, Sydney, Australia: AWES (Australasian Wind Engineering Society).

2011

  • Cochard, S., Letchford, C., Earl, T. (2011). PIV measurement of the velocity over triangular shaped cliffs. 13th International Conference on Wind Engineering, Amsterdam: Dutch-Flemish Wind Engineering Association.

2010

  • Cochard, S., Lander, D. (2010). A Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Wake Behind a Wind-Turbine in a Turbulent Boundary-Layer Flow. 17th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Auckland, New Zealand: University of Auckland.
  • Lander, D., Cochard, S. (2010). Digital correction of pressure signals for vinyl tubing distortions. 14th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop AWES 2010, Australia: Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
  • Cochard, S. (2010). University of Sydney School of Civil Engineering Atmospheric Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel: New Developments. 14th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop AWES 2010, Australia: Australasian Wind Engineering Society.

2009

  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2009). Experimental investigation of the spreading of viscoplastic fluids on inclined planes. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 73-84.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2009). The dam-break problem for Herschel-Bulkley viscoplastic fluids down steep flumes. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 18-35.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Andreini, N. (2009). The dam-break problem for viscous fluids in the high-capillary-number limit. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 624, 1-22.
  • Dubash, N., Balmforth, N., Slim, A., Cochard, S. (2009). What is the final shape of a viscoplastic slump? Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 158(1-3), 91-100.

2008

  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2008). Time-dependent free-surface viscoplastic down steep slopes; experimental results. European Geosciences Union General Assembly EGU 2008, Germany: Copernicus GmbH.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2008). Tracking the free surface of time-dependent flows: image processing for the dam-break problem. Experiments in Fluids: experimental methods and their applications to fluid flow, 44(1), 59-71.

2007

  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Rentschler, M., Wiederseiner, S. (2007). Existence and features of similarity solutions for non-Boussinesq gravity currents. Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, 226(1), 32-54.
  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2007). Using Laboratory Models to Understand Avalanche Dynamics. The MathWorks News & Notes - June 2007.

2006

  • Cochard, S., Ancey, C. (2006). Accurate measurements of free-surface in the dam-break problem. International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics 2006, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis.
  • Rentschler, M., Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2006). Avalanche Simulations. Annual Meeting of the Swiss Group of Rheology 2006, Switzerland: Swiss Group of Rheology.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Rentschler, M., Wiederseiner, S. (2006). Front dynamics of a water surge at high Reynolds number: Similarity solutions to the Saint-Venant equations. International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics 2006, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S., Wiederseiner, S., Rentschler, M. (2006). Front dynamics of supercritical non-Boussinesq gravity currents. Water Resources Research, 42(8), W08424-1-W08424-9.
  • Cochard, S., Sbaiz, L., Ancey, C., Charbon, E. (2006). Real-Time Avalanche and Landslide Analysis through Sensor Networks. 5th Scientific Conference and Panel Review in Zurich MICS 2006, Switzerland: National Center of Competence in Research: Mobile Information & Communication Systems.
  • Ancey, C., Cochard, S. (2006). Understanding avalanches. Physics World, 19(7), 29-31.

2005

  • Ancey, C., Vollmoller, P., Cochard, S. (2005). Rheophysique des suspensions concentrees: cadre theorique et similitude [Rheophysics concentrated suspensions: theoretical framework and similarity]. 17th Congres Francais de Mecanique [French Congress of Mechanics] CFM 2005, France: French Association of Mechanics.

2003

  • Day, J., Cochard, S. (2003). Swiss Tunnels: The new design guidelines and how they are being implemented. 2nd International Conference on Road Tunnel Traffic and Safety 2003.
  • Cochard, S. (2003). Validation of the Freeware 'Fire Dynamics Simulator Version 2.0' for Simulating Tunnel Fires. Tunnel Management International, 6(4).
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