Photo of Prof James Brownjohn

Prof James Brownjohn

Professor of Structural Dynamics

Email:

Telephone: 01392 723698

Extension: (Streatham) 3698

Professor James Brownjohn (DEng FIMechE FIStructE) joined the University of Exeter as part of the Vibration Engineering Section in 2013.

He is currently part time (40% FTE), until 6/2027. 

James has expertise in:
  • Structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure using discrete fixed sensors
  • Instrumentation for full-scale structural perfprmance assessment, particularly in inertial and non-contacting technologies. 
  • Vibration serviceability assessment of extreme low vibration facilities for manufacture and research,
  • Sensors for vibration and displacement measurement,
  • System identification, particularly of extreme long/tall structures, using forced and ambient vibration testing, with emphasis on recovery of reliable modal mass and damping estimates,
  • Human motion capture using inertial measurement units and active or passive camera optical marker tracking,
  • Experimental vibration simulation using a motion platform,
  and has consulted on projects in UK and Singapore in relation to:
  • Vibration design and assessment of precision experimental laser and synchrotron facilities,
  • Vibration design and assessment of disk drive manufacturing plants,
  • Vibration monitoring of telecoms masts, chimneys and tall buildings,
  • Modal testing (forced and ambient testing) of floors, stadia, lightouses, bridges,
  • Condition assessment of highway bridges,
  • Structural health monitoring of long span bridges,
  • Footbridge vibration serviceability evaluation and vibration mitigation,
  • (as expert witness) Structural damage due to low-level machine-induced vibration and
  • Vibration serviceability assessment of medical and pharmaceutical facilities.

His current/previously funded research projects are 

STORMLAMP, which investigated the structural condition of and extreme wave loads sustained by offshore rock light houses around the British Isles.

BAYOMALAW, which developed methodology and numerical tools for maximising and quantifying the reliability of modal parameters obtained by ambient vibration tests on extreme civil structures such as super-tall buildings and long span bridges. 

VSimulators, a Strategic Equipment Proposal in collaboration with the University of Bath which created a pair of unique simulation facilities to explore the interactions of humans with the built environment in relation to vibration serviceability and healthcare, among many exciting interdisciplinary research areas.

ROSEHIPS a program grant between Exeter, Sheffield, Cambridge and Belfast researching population-based srtructural health monitoring.

Exemplar research papers reflecting the range of research and consulting activities are:

Professor Brownjohn is a founding director of Full Scale Dynamics Ltd, a University spin-out company, and of FSD Active Ltd.