Rigby, Sam, Dr

Dr Sam Rigby

MEng, PhD

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Blast and Impact Engineering

RAEng Industrial Fellow in Machine Learning Applications for Blast Protection Engineering

A white man in a blue checked shirt wearing glasses

sam.rigby@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5724

Room D121, Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)

Full contact details

Dr Sam Rigby
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room D121
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
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S1 3JD

Profile

My work in blast and impact engineering helps to protect people, buildings and vehicles from explosions.

Dr Sam Rigby

Dr Sam Rigby completed his MEng and PhD in our Department in 2010 and 2014 respectively. He took up his position as a lecturer in Blast & Impact Engineering in 2016.

Sam’s research centres on blast and impact engineering, with a focus on protecting people, buildings and vehicles from explosions. This branch of structural engineering explores what happens to materials when they are subjected to extreme loading from explosions.

Sam’s work on the quantification of blast loading in extreme environments, such as buried explosives, or explosives located very close to a target structure, enables a better understanding of near-field explosions and their effects.

This research can help to save lives by improving the design of protection systems, ranging from applications in war zones to anti-terrorism legislation.

Sam has strong links with numerical modelling experts and industry practitioners in the UK and abroad, and is particularly focused on developing approximate engineering tools for rapid quantification of blast effects.

In September 2023, Dr Rigby began a 2 year Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship, working with Arup Resilience, Security and Risk to develop novel machine learning applications for blast protection engineering.

Research interests

Sam’s particular area of research focuses on the impact of blast waves on buildings and how they influence loadings on structures.

Traditional far-field engineering models cannot be used for this work as they are not suitable to apply to explosions in urban areas, where there are many complex interactions.

Consequently, much of his work consists of numerical modelling, supported by experimental testing at our Buxton site.

Sam’s research highlights the fact that traditional impact protection methods need improvement, and his work is now aimed at developing safer and more efficient designs.

Publications

Journal articles

Alotaibi SAE, Rigby SE, Guadagnini M & Tyas A (2023) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 178, 104624-104624.
Alshammari OG, Isaac OS, Clarke SD & Rigby SE (2023) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Kirchner MR, Kirchner SR, Dennis AA & Rigby SE (2023) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Fairclough HE, He L, Asfaha TB & Rigby S (2023) . Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 66(7).
Dennis AA & Rigby SE (2023) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 204141962311773-204141962311773.
Lodge T, Clarke S, Waddoups R, Rigby S, Gant M & Elgy I (2023) . Applied Sciences, 13(9).
Ratcliff A, Rigby S, Clarke S & Fay S (2023) . Applied Sciences, 13(9).
Waddoups R, Clarke S, Tyas A, Rigby S, Gant M & Elgy I (2023) . Eng, 4(1), 319-340.
Barr AD, Rigby SE, Clarke SD, Farrimond D & Tyas A (2023) . Sensors, 23(2), 964-964.
Farrimond DG, Woolford S, Tyas A, Rigby SE, Clarke SD, Barr A, Whittaker M & Pope DJ (2023) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Isaac O, Alshammari O, Clarke S & Rigby S (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Dib N, Zéhil G-P & Rigby S (2022) . Journal of Fluids and Structures, 115, 103787-103787.
Denny J, Langdon G, Rigby S, Dickinson A & Batchelor J (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Isaac OS, Alshammari OG, Pickering EG, Clarke SD & Rigby SE (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Alshammari OG, Isaac OS, Clarke SD & Rigby SE (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Díaz JS & Rigby SE (2022) . Shock Waves, 32(6), 553-561.
Díaz JS & Rigby SE (2022) . Shock Waves, 32(5), 405-415.
Zhang T, Aftab W, Mihaylova L, Langran-Wheeler C, Rigby S, Fletcher D, Maddock S & Bosworth G (2022) . Sensors, 22(12).
Pannell JJ, Rigby SE & Panoutsos G (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Higham JE, Isaac OS & Rigby SE (2022) . Measurement Science and Technology, 33(4).
Farrimond DG, Rigby SE, Clarke SD & Tyas A (2022) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Gan K, Brewer T, Pope D & Rigby S (2022) . Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics.
Gallet A, Rigby S, Tallman T, Kong X, Hajirasouliha I, Liew A, Liu D, Chen L, Hauptmann A & Smyl D (2022) . Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 478(2257).
Dennis AA, Pannell JJ, Smyl DJ & Rigby SE (2021) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 12(3), 287-314.
Grisaro HY, Edri IE & Rigby SE (2021) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 12(3), 315-330.
Langran-Wheeler C, Rigby S, Clarke SD, Tyas A, Stephens C & Walker R (2021) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Rigby S, Osborne C, Langdon G, Cooke S & Pope D (2021) . International Journal of Impact Engineering.
Pannell JJ, Panoutsos G, Cooke SB, Pope DJ & Rigby SE (2021) . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Rigby S, Lodge T, Alotaibi S, Barr A, Clarke S, Langdon G & Tyas A (2020) . Shock Waves, 30(6), 671-675.
Rigby S, Knighton R, Clarke S & Tyas A (2020) . Experimental Mechanics, 60(7), 875-888.
Barr A, Rigby SE, Collins R, Speight V & Christen T (2020) . Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice, 11(2).
Barr A, Rigby SE & Clayton M (2020) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 139.
Rigby SE, Akintaro OI, Fuller BJ, Tyas A, Curry RJ, Langdon GS & Pope DJ (2019) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 128, 24-36.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Curry RJ & Langdon GS (2019) . Experimental Mechanics, 59(2), 163-178.
Rigby SE, Fay SD, Tyas , Clarke SD, Reay JJ, Warren JA, Gant M & Elgy I (2018) . Shock Waves, 28(3), 613-626.
Rigby S, Barr AD & Clayton M (2017) . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering and Computational Mechanics.
Clarke SD, Fay SD, Warren JA, Tyas A, Rigby SE, Reay JJ, Livesey R & Elgy I (2017) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 102, 117-128.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Clarke SD & Razaqpur G (2017) . Journal of Structural Engineering, 143(1).
Payne T, Williams A, Worfolk T & Rigby S (2016) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 7(4), 547-560.
Rigby SE, Fay SD, Clarke SD, Tyas A, Reay JJ, Warren JA, Gant M & Elgy I (2016) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 96, 89-104.
Clarke SD, Fay SD, Warren JA, Tyas A, Rigby SE, Reay JJ, Livesey R & Elgy I (2015) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 86, 274-283.
Clarke SD, Fay SD, Warren JA, Tyas A, Rigby SE & Elgy I (2014) . Measurement Science and Technology, 26.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Bennett T, Fay SD, Clarke SD & Warren JA (2014) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 5(3), 253-274.
Rigby SE, Tyas A & Bennett T (2014) . International Journal of Impact Engineering, 66, 37-47.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Bennett T, Clarke SD & Fay SD (2014) . International Journal of Protective Structures, 5(1), 1-19.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Bennett T, Warren JA & Fay S (2013) . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Engineering and Computational Mechanics, 166(3), 140-148.
Rigby SE, Tyas A & Bennett T (2012) . Engineering Structures, 45, 396-404.
Pannell J, Rigby S & Panoutsos G () . International Journal of Protective Structures.
Dennis AA, Smyl DJ, Stirling CG & Rigby SE () . International Journal of Protective Structures.

Conference proceedings papers

Rigby S, Tyas A, Curry R & Langdon G (2019) The response of plates under non-uniform impulsive loads. Proceedings of the 2019 Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics. Greenwich, London, UK, 9 September 2019 - 10 September 2019.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Curry RJ & Langdon GS (2019) (pp 749-754)
Rigby SE, Fuller B & Tyas A (2018) Validation of Near-Field Blast Loading in LS-DYNA. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Protective Structures. Poznan, Poland, 20 August 2018 - 23 August 2018.
Langran-Wheeler C, Tyas A, Rigby SE, Stephens CS, Clarke S & Warren J (2017) Characterisation of reflected blast loads in the very near-field from non-spherical explosive charges. Proceedings of The 17th International Symposium on the Interaction of the Effects of Munitions with Structures (17th ISIEMS). Bad Neuenahr, Germany, 16 October 2017 - 20 October 2017.
Rigby SE, Curry RJ, Langdon GS & Tyas A (2017) Initial velocity and impulse distribution of blast loaded plates. Proceedings of The 17th International Symposium on the Interaction of the Effects of Munitions with Structures (17th ISIEMS). Bad Neuenahr, Germany, 16 October 2017 - 20 October 2017.
Rigby SE, Chaudhary N, Bogosian D, Payne T & Tyas A (2017) Large-scale validation of Hudson clearing predictions. Proceedings of The 17th International Symposium on the Interaction of the Effects of Munitions with Structures (17th ISIEMS). Bad Neuenahr, Germany, 16 October 2017 - 20 October 2017.
Schwer L & Rigby SE (2017) Reflected Secondary Shocks: Some Observations using Afterburning. Proceedings of the 11th European LS-DYNA Conference. Salzburg, Austria, 9 May 2017 - 11 May 2017.
Clarke SD, Fay SD, Rigby SE, Tyas A, Warren JA, Reay JJ, Fuller B, Pope DJ, Gant M & Elgy I (2015) Finite element simulation of plates under non-uniform blast loads using a point-load method: Buried explosives. 11th International Conference on Shock & Impact Loads on Structures. Ottawa, Canada, 14 May 2015 - 15 May 2015.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Fay SD, Reay JJ, Clarke SD & Warren JA (2015) Finite element simulation of plates under non-uniform blast loads using a point-load method: Blast wave clearing. 11th International Conference on Shock & Impact Loads on Structures. Ottawa, Canada, 14 May 2015 - 15 May 2015.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Fay SD, Clarke SD & Warren JA (2014) Validation of Semi-Empirical Blast Pressure Predictions for Far Field Explosions - Is There Inherent Variability in Blast Wave Parameters?. 6th International Conference on Protection of Structures against Hazards. Tianjin, China, 16 October 2014 - 17 October 2014.
Rigby SE, Tyas A, Clarke SD, Fay SD, Warren JA, Elgy I & Gant M (2014) Testing Apparatus for the Spatial and Temporal Pressure Measurements from Near-Field Free Air Explosions. 6th International Conference on Protection of Structures against Hazards. Tianjin, China, 16 October 2014 - 17 October 2014.
Clarke SD, Fay SD, Tyas A, Warren J, Rigby SE, Elgy I & Livesey R (2014) Repeatability of Buried Charge Testing. Military Aspects of Blast and Shock 23. Oxford, UK, 7 September 2014 - 12 September 2014.
Fay SD, Clarke SD, Tyas A, Warren J, Rigby SE, Bennett T, Elgy I & Gant M (2014) Measuring the Spatial and Temporal Pressure Variation from Buried Charges. Military Aspects of Blast and Shock 23. Oxford, UK, 7 September 2014 - 12 September 2014.

Theses / Dissertations

Rigby SE (2014) Blast Wave Clearing Effects on Finite-Sized Targets Subjected to Explosive Loads.

Research group: Blast & Impact

Grants

View all research projects

Past Grants

Mechanisms & Characterisation of Explosions

The overall aim of MaCE is to develop a comprehensive conceptual model of blast loading which will serve to underpin accurate predictive models for protection engineers.

Professional activities and memberships

Referee for International Journal of Protective Structures, Engineering Structures, International Journal of Impact Engineering, and Shock Waves.
Guest Editor for special edition on blast load characterisation in International Journal of Protective Structures
Member of The International Association of Protective Structures
Member of The Institute of Explosives Engineers

PhD opportunities

Predicting The Impulse From Buried Charges

It is well known by terrorists around the world that the process of burying an explosive device acts to direct and enhance the destructive capability of the device. Over the last decade thousands of tests have been conducted in various soil types to attempt to try to better understand this problem.

If you're interested in one of these projects, or would like to self-propose a project, please contact Sam at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.

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School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Dr Sam Rigby

Journal articles

Conference proceedings papers

Theses / Dissertations

Links