Abstract: Masonry arch bridges (MABs) constitute a significant proportion of the bridge stock in the UK and many other parts of the world. Although masonry arches are a durable bridge form, those spanning watercourses are particularly vulnerable to flooding. When high-velocity flood flows impinge on the MAB superstructure, highly transient hydrodynamic behaviour can occur, leading to violent interactions, especially when debris is transported by the flow. This talk will present both experimental investigations and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) modelling used to quantify the spatial flood-induced effects on MABs under varying flow conditions and debris orientations. Further discussion will focus on one-way and two-way coupled SPH-discrete element method (DEM) approaches for modelling flood-floating debris-MAB interactions.
Bio: Dr Eda Majtan joined the University of Liverpool in 2024 as a Lecturer in Environmental Fluid Mechanics. She specialises in fluid-structure interaction, with a particular focus on river flow dynamics involving floating woody debris and hydraulic structures, including bridges and dams, for applications in flood risk management. Her expertise includes physical modelling, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), and finite element (FE) analysis.
Before joining Liverpool, Dr Majtan was a Lecturer at the University of Salford (2022–2024) and completed her PhD at the University of Manchester in 2022, where she produced the first quantification of flood-induced hydrodynamic and debris pressures on the superstructure of masonry arch bridges. Her doctoral research was a finalist in the Innovation in Climate Resilience category at the 2024 ICE–New Civil Engineer Bridges Awards. She has also contributed to the NERC-funded SENSUM project and is currently involved in Innovate UK-funded research on marine energy systems. Dr Majtan is the UK representative on the IAHR (International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research) Europe Leadership Group, a reviewer for the EPSRC Peer Review College and leading journals, and a Chartered Engineer (CEng MICE) actively engaged with several professional and research organisations.