Dambusters and the engineering behind the bouncing bomb
The last time a dam was blown up by a bouncing bomb was in May 1943. Well, not true. In October 2010, Dr Hugh Hunt was asked to act as Lead Engineer in a Channel 4
documentary remake of the raid. Together with Windfall Films his team designed a rig to suspend a spinning bomb under a DC4, and built a 10m-high dam especially for
the purpose of blowing it up.
This lecture described some of the many challenges they encountered, including scale model testing, design of a drop rig,
targeting the dam and designing the explosive. The experience really put into perspective the wartime achievements of Barnes Wallis and his engineers and airmen.
Climate Change and Sustainable Energy
Is climate change for real? If so, what can we do about it? What is my own carbon footprint? What can I do make a difference? These are the sorts of questions
that are addressed in this talk. To answer them we need to do "sums" - just simple addition and multiplication is enough. We must reject solutions that don't "add up"
and we mustn't rule out possible solutions purely on emotive grounds. Most people take sides before they've looked at the sums. Our future is in the balance and we're
in danger of making the wrong choices. This talk will draw on material from David Mackay's excellent book Sustainable energy without the hot air
Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things
Spinning things are strange. Why does a spinning top stand up? Why doesn't a rolling wheel fall over? Why is top-spin
so effective in tennis? How does a falling cat always manage to land on its feet? How can the Hubble Space Telescope
turn around in space? What do ice-skaters do to spin so fast? We'll look closely at the common threads that link all
spinning things, and that means we'll have to talk about gyroscopes. Don't worry, there won't be any maths. Everything
will be demonstrated live with lots of toys and videos. And we'll even throw a few indoor boomerangs - hoping not to
break any windows! Click here to see this lecture as it was given to an adult audience or here to see a sample of a boomerang lecture for kids
Some Counter-intuitive Problems in Dynamics and Vibration
Mechanical Vibration and Dynamics are taught to undergraduates as if they simple sciences.
The mass-on-a-spring, uni-axial vibration of a rod, viscous damping, modal analysis -
all these are the bread and butter of vibration science. As for rigid-body dynamics undergraduate
courses remain fixed in 2-D planar motion. But real dynamic and vibrating systems just don't behave simply.
There are pitfalls in even the most ordinary cases and some of these will be demonstrated: a tuning fork; a bottle of coke;
a bending beam; a turbocharger wheel, a bouncing ball, a rolling ball and boomerangs. All of these things behave counter-intuitively.
This talk will be filled with practical demonstrations - seeing is believing. Most are demonstrations that can be repeated at home.
The remarkable accuracy of the Trinity College Clock
The Trinity Clock in Great Court is quite a prominent feature of the college, at least to look at. And it has a rather curious way
of announcing the hours, once for Trinity and a second time for St John's. It is always within a second or two of the correct time
and yet it hardly ever requires adjustment. Does this mean that the mechanism is unaffected by the elements? What about temperature,
pressure, humidity? And does the gravitational pull of the moon make any difference? The pendulum on the Trinity Clock has been instrumented
to measure period and amplitude to great accuracy. The time is compared with UTC obtained from a GPS receiver. All of this data is streamed
continuously to the web at http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/clock/.
If you thought that the physics of a pendulum was simple, then think again!
The Maths of Breakfast
A mug of coffee, a piece of toast and a box of cornflakes all have one
ingredient in common: Maths. We'll reveal some unexpected applications of geometry, mechanics,
statistics and algebra at the breakfast table. Your mornings will never
be the same again.
Vibration from Underground Railways
Vibration in the ground causes problems. At large amplitude vibration
causes damage, the most obvious example being earthquake damage. But the
ground motion in a damaging earthquake is typically low-frequency (below
1Hz) and large-amplitude (above 10mm). At higher frequencies and lower
amplitudes (above 10Hz, below 0.01mm) vibration is simply bothersome.
Rarely do perceptible vibrations cause damage - the cracks in the plaster
of a house near a busy road are most probably due to subsidence, or
perhaps
due to the kids jumping down the stairs two-at-a-time and slamming doors.
Vibrations from man-made sources are arguably preventable and if we are
disturbed by them, generally there is someone we can sue. Railway
companies are an easy target for litigation so there is clear motivation
for keeping vibration levels low.
This talk addresses the general topic of ground vibration
from railways and some of the common techniques used to
control railway vibration and also the predictive tools available to
engineers. It is often believed that the environmental concerns of
residents near a proposed railway development will be met by putting the
trains underground - in tunnels. Even though modern tunnelling methods
are
now quicker and cheaper than ever before, vibration concerns turn the
average "nimby" into a NUMBY (Not Under My Back Yard). The
underground-railway problem encapsulates all that is difficult about
controlling a distributed source of ground-borne vibration.
July 2011, "Tethered aerostats: the dynamic behaviour of an aerodynamic tether with
application to geoengineering", Semi-plenary Keynote, EuroDyn2011, Leuven
April 2011, "SPICE: Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering", Monash University Sustainability Institute
March 2011, "SPICE: Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering", Melbourne University Department of Engineering
April 2008, "Counter-intuitive problems in dynamics and vibration", Imperial College Mechanical Engineering Research Showcase Event
December 2007, "Counter-intuitive problems in Dynamics and Vibration", Keynote address, 5th Australasian Congress in Applied Mechanics, Brisbane, Australia.
December 2007, "Vibration of bell towers", Address delivered in St John's Cathedral Brisbane as part of the 5th Australasian Congress in Applied Mechanics.
January 2007,"Counter-intuitive problems in Dynamics and Vibration", Nottingham University.
January 2007, "Vibration from Underground Trains - the PiP software", Institute of Acoustics, Royal Society, London
(poster)
October 2006,"Counter-intuitive problems in Dynamics and Vibration", Mechanics Colloquium, Cambridge University Engineering Department.
August 2005,"Counter-intuitive problems in Vibration", Adelaide University, Mechanical Engineering, invited seminar.
August 2005, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", UNSW Mechanical Engineering, invited seminar, Sydney
August 2005,"IEAust Eminent Speaker Series 2005", seven lectures given in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.
Topics: "Vibration from Underground Railways", Counter-intuitive Problems in Vibration", "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs"
(website)
August 2005,
"Some counter-intuitive engineering design problems in vibration; On how a little knowledge can confuse our understanding
of complex problems"
, Keynote Address, ICED2005 Conference, Melbourne
July 2002,"Ground vibration from man-made sources", Keynote address, 9th Int Congress on Sound and Vibration, U of
Central Florida.
March 1999, "Spinning into Space", National Science Week, Lady Mitchell Hall Cambridge,
(IOP Award, jointly with Dr M K Warner, Dept of Physics);
Public Lectures, General Interest:
November 2011, "Dambusters: building the bouncing bomb", Phoenix Society, Churchill College, Cambridge
October 2011, "Dambusters and the engineering behind the bouncing bomb", Royal Aeronautical Society joint with IMechE, Cambridge
July 2011, "Dambusters: building the bouncing bomb", Science Summer School, Cambridge
July 2011, "Bouncing Balls", Festival of the Spoken Nerd, Islington, London
June 2011, "The Dambusters Now", Cheltenham Science Festival
June 2011, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Cheltenham Science Festival
March 2011, "Dambusters: building the bouncing bomb", Cambridge University Engineering Department
March 2011, "Dambusters and the engineering behind the bouncing bomb", Cambridge Science Festival
September 2010, "The remarkable accuracy of the Trinity College Clock", British Horological Institute, Upton Hall
July 2010, "The remarkable accuracy of the Trinity College Clock", Antiquarian Horological Society, Turret Clock Group, Cambridge
February 2010, "Climate Change and Sustainable Energy", Dept of Physics, University of Southampton
July 2010, "Boomerangs and other spinning things", Science Summer School, Cambridge
January 2010, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", The Thomas Hardye School Community Lecture, Dorchester
(poster)
December 2009, "The Remarkable Accuracy of the Trinity College Clock", Institute of Physics, Cambridge;
November 2009,"The Science of Spinning Things", Cambridge University Science Society
October 2009, "Climate Change and Sustainable Energy", U3A Cambridge
July 2009, "Understanding boomerangs and other spinning things", Science Summer School, Cambridge
June 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Prince's Trust, Greenwich London.
June 2009 "Spinning Things - The Workshop", Royal Institution, London
April 2009, "Noises in the Kitchen", Cambridgeshire Further Mathematics Centre, Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
March 2009, "Science in a Spin", Cambridge Science Festival
March 2009, "Science in a Spin", "Bath Taps into Science" Festival (poster)
July 2008, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Cambridgeshire Further Mathematics Centre, Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
March 2008,"The Secret Science of Music", Swavesey Village College.
February 2008, "Counter-intuitive problems in vibration", Cambridge University Engineering Society
March 2008, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Stokes Society, Pembroke College, Cambridge;
January 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Centre for Nonlinear Mechanics, University of Bath.
March 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Trinity College Science Society, Science Symposium
December 2006, Institute of Physics, Physics Update Course for School Physics Teachers, Cambridge;
(report and photos)
September 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Royal Aeronautical Society, Bedford Branch
September 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Alumni weekend, Cambridge
July 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Science Summer School, Cambridge
July 2006, "Harmonics and Music", Science Summer School, Cambridge
June 2006, HP Science Lectures, HP Labs Bristol: "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things."
(website)
February 2006, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", IOP Physics in Perspective -- A Study Course for 6th Formers, London;
December 2005, "Good Vibration - Conter-intuitive experiments in Vibration", IMA East Midlands Branch
(poster)
January 2006, "The wonderful Physics of Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Maxwell Society Lecture, Dept of Physics, Kings
College London;
(poster)
July 2005, "Boomerangs", Science Summer School, Cambridge
May 2004, "The Wonderful Physics of Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", IMA East Midlands Branch
(poster)
December 2003, "The Wonderful Physics of Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Portsmouth and District Physical Society, Special Christmas Lecture
October 2003,"Gyroscopes and other spinning things",The Kelvin Club
Peterhouse Scientific Society , Cambridge
May 2003, "The Magic of Gyroscopes, Boomerangs and Other Spinning Things", MIT Boston USA
July 2002 "The dynamics of spin: gyroscopes and other spinning objects", Science Summer School, 3 days
February 2002, "Gyroscopes and boomerangs" Royal Institution, London, Inst of Physics, Physics in Perspective
December 1999, "The Physics of Toys", Cambridge Christmas Lectures;
March 1998, "Lifting and circling - why your boomerang does come back", National Science Week, Cambridge
Talks for Schools - large venues:
November 2011, "Dambusters and the bouncing bomb", Maths Inspiration (link), Manchester;
November 2011, "Dambusters", (2 lectures) Maths in Action, Univ of London, A-level Mathematics Days.
November 2011, "Dambusters: building the bouncing bomb", 10th Annual Maths Conference, AGS Aylesbury
July 2011, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", A-level, Invitation Maths Presentation Medway, Chatham
March 2011, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Nottingham;
November 2010, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Reading;
June 2010, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", A-level, Invitation Maths Presentation Medway, Chatham
March 2010, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Winchester;
March 2010, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Leeds;
January 2010, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Oundle School
December 2009, Institute of Physics, Physics Update Course for School Physics Teachers, Cambridge;
November 2009, "At Home with Maths", Maths in Action, Univ of London, A-level Mathematics Days.
November 2009, "The Maths of Breakfast", Maths Inspiration (link), Cambridge;
November 2009, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Chatham;
July 2009,"Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Rockingham Science Festival.
July 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Cambridgeshire Further Mathematics Centre, CMS
March 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things" Royal Institution, School Event, Key Stage 3 Science
March 2009, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Portsmouth;
March 2009, "Maths in a Spin", Maths in Action, Imperial College London, GCSE Mathematics Day, 2 lectures.
December 2008, Institute of Physics, Physics Update Course for School Physics Teachers, Cambridge;
November 2008, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), RNCM, Manchester;
November 2008, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge;
November 2008, "Maths in a Spin", Maths Inspiration (link), Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham;
November 2008, "Mathematics in a Spin", Maths in Action, Univ of London, A-level Mathematics Days.
September 2008, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", IOP Netowrk Day for Physics Teachers, Derby;
July 2008,"Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", The Prince's Teaching Institute Summer School, Homerton College.
July 2008,"Boomerangs", Rockingham Festval (4 sessions)
March 2008, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Physics in Action, Imperial College London,
GCSE Science Day.
December 2007, Institute of Physics, Physics Update Course for School Physics Teachers, Cambridge;
November 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Maths Inspiration (link), Reading;
November 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Maths Inspiration (link), Criterion Theatre, Picadilly;
July 2007,"Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Rockingham Science Festival.
March 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Maths in Action, Univ of London,
A-level Mathematics Day.
March 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Maths in Action, Imperial College London,
GCSE Mathematics Day, 2 lectures.
November-December 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Maths in Action, Univ of London,
A-level Mathematics Day, 3 lectures.
November 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Maths Inspiration (link), Birmingham;
March 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and other Spinning Things", Maths Inspiration (link), Greenwich;
(website)
July 2005, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Science for Schools, Royal Institution, London.
July 2005, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Royal Institution, London;
February 2005, Aim Higher, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", CUED
December 2003, Institute of Physics, Physics Update Course for School Physics Teachers, Cambridge;
December 2003, "The wonderful physics of gyroscopes and boomerangs", Univ of London, A-level Physics Day.
June 2002 "Spinning out of control" SeeK lecture (Science and Engineering Experiments for Kids) see http://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/seek/seeknew/spinning.htm
November 2001, "The magic physics of boomerangs", University of London, A-level Physics Day.
November 2000, "The mathematics of boomerangs", University of London, A-level Mathematics Day.
Talks at individual Schools:
July 1010, "Climate Change and Sustainable Energy", Hills Road Sixth Form One World Day
November 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Hitchin Girl's School, CMS
April 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Spalding High School.
March 2009, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Wilson's School
poster ;
March 2009, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Cambridge Science Festival Schools Roadshow (4 schools in
Cambridgeshire - Mepal and Witcham Primary School, Wilburton Primary School, Newnham Croft Primary School, Meadow Primary School Balham);
January 2009, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Tom Passmore Memorial Mathematics Lecture, Wellington School
September 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Bishop's Stortford High School;
May 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", St Paul's School for Girls, London.
March 2007, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Cambridge Science Festival Schools Roadshow (4 schools in
Cambridgeshire (
news link ) - Lantern Primary Ely, Thomas Eaton Primary Wimblington,
Teversham CE Primary, St Peter's CE Junior Wisbech);
February 2007, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Wiles Society, Leys School Cambridge
June 2006, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", Archway School, Stroud, Glos
March 2006, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Cambridge Science Festival Schools Roadshow (4 schools in
Cambridgeshire - All Saints Primary March, Sutton Primary near Ely
video
, Babraham Primary and Grove Primary Cambridge);
August 2005, "Wonderful Boomerangs", Wesley College, Melbourne (Lower and Middle schools);
March 2005, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Cambridge Science Festival Schools Roadshow (4 schools in
Cambridgeshire - Fawcett Primary Cambridge, Guilden Morden Primary near Royston, Harston Primary and Lady Adrian School
Girton);
June 2004, "Boomerangs, Bouncing Balls and Other Spinning Things", St Benedicts School, Ealing, London
March 2004, "Boomerangs and Bouncing Balls", Cambridge Science Festival Schools Roadshow (5 schools in
Cambridge - Mayfield Primary, St Lukes Primary, Milton Road Primary, Pelican Primary
and Park Street Primary);
March 2002, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Tom Passmore Memorial Mathematics Lecture, Wellington School
September 2001, "Gyroscopes and boomerangs", St Paul's School London
February 1997, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Eton College;
After-dinner talks:
November 2006, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", Stimulating Physics, Institute of Physics, York
September 2005, "Boomerangs", Biala Early Intervention Centre, Box Hill Victoria, fundraising dinner
August 2005,"An Australian's Guide to Cambridge", Cambridge Society of Victoria, Melbourne
August 2005, "Wonderful Boomerangs", Inst of Engineers (Mech) Annual Dinner, Brisbane
August 2005, "Gyroscopes and Boomerangs", ICED2005 Conference Banquet, Melbourne
(
)
and for other stuff: go to
Hugh Hunt's Cambridge University home page )