Newcastle University

Qualifications

PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Tribology) from Sheffield University, 1999
MSc Industrial Mathematics from Strathclyde University, 1995 (Joint course between Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian)
BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Physics from Edinburgh University, 1994

Previous Positions

Research Associate at Sheffield University 2000-2004
Research Associate at Newcastle University (NewRail) 2004-2007

Research Interests

1. Computer modelling of microstructural damage evolution in rail steels leading to wear and/or crack initiation.
2. Laboratory analysis of low-adhesion leaf film (i.e., the notorious 'Leaves on the Line').

Other Expertise

1. Computer programming, mainly in C/C++ but with experience in Cocoa and Java also.

Postgraduate Supervision

2 PhD students, studying:
1. Effect of heat generation at the wheel-rail interface on wear and crack initiation.
2. Bridge dynamic response to trains passing.

Funding

£2k in 2008 from the Joy Welch Educational Charitable Trust.

Projects

• D RAIL
  Project Leader(s): Professor Mark Robinson
  D-RAIL will focus on freight traffic, identifying root causes of derailment of particular significance to freight vehicles, which have a wider range of operating parameters (as a result of the huge range in loads, speeds and maintenance quality) than...
• Factor 20: reducing CO2 emissions from inland transport by a major modal shift to rail
  Project Leader(s): Dr Francis Franklin
• INNOTRACK
  Project Leader(s): Dr Francis Franklin
  INNOTRACK brings together researchers, rail infrastructure managers (IM) and industry suppliers, to concentrate on the research issues that will contribute to the reduction of rail infrastructure Life Cycle Cost (LCC)...
• RRUK: Three-dimensional microstructural modelling of crack initiation in rail steel
  Project Leader(s): Dr Francis J Franklin (Newcastle) and Prof Claire Davis (Birmingham)
  This is Project A6 of the EPSRC-funded virtual research centre Rail Research U.K. The project is a collaboration between the University of Newcastle upon Tyne ...
• SUSTRAIL
  Project Leader(s): Dr Francis Franklin
  The purpose of the SUSTRAIL project is to contribute to the rail freight system to allow it to regain position and market. The proposed solution is based on a combined improvement in both freight vehicle and track components in an holistic approach...

Undergraduate Teaching

2008-9
- Stage I/II Introduction to Computing
Introduction to MatLab programming
- Stage II Mechanics of Solids
'Failure of Materials': fracture, fatigue, stress.
- Stage III Stress Analysis
Introduction to (1) plasticity, buckling; (2) ANSYS
2005-2007: Brief introduction to Inventor for Stage II Design direct entry students
2005-2007: Supervision with ANSYS for Stage III Stress Analysis
2006: Strengths lab. supervision for Stage II Mechanics of Solids

• Franklin FJ, Widiyarta I, Kapoor A. Computer simulation of wear and rolling contact fatigue. Wear 2001, 251(1-12), 949-955.
• Kapoor A, Franklin FJ, Wong SK, Ishida M. Surface roughness and plastic flow in rail wheel contact. Wear 2002, 253(1-2), 257-264.
• Franklin FJ, Chung T, Kapoor A. Ratcheting and fatigue-led wear in rail-wheel contact. Fatigue & Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 2003, 26(10), 949-955.
• Hiensch EJM, Franklin FJ, Nielsen JCO, Ringsberg JW, Weeda G-J, Kapoor A, Josefson BL. Prevention of RCF damage in curved track through development of the INFRA-STAR two-material rail. Fatigue & Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 2003, 26(10), 1007-1017.
• Ringsberg JW, Franklin FJ, Josefson BL, Kapoor A, Nielsen JCO. Fatigue evaluation of surface coated railway rails using shakedown theory, finite element calculations, and lab and field trials. International Journal of Fatigue 2005,27 6 680-694.
• Franklin FJ, Weeda G-J, Kapoor A, Hiensch EJM. Rolling contact fatigue and wear behaviour of the infrastar two-material rail. Wear 2005,258 7-8 1048-1054.
• Vasic G, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A, Lucanin V. Laboratory simulation of low-adhesion leaf film on rail steel. International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering 2008, 2(1/2), 84-97.
• Franklin FJ, Garnham JE, Fletcher DI, Davis CL, Kapoor A. Modelling rail steel microstructure and its effect on crack initiation. Wear 2008, 265(9-10), 1332-1341.
• Widiyarta IM, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Modelling thermal effects in ratcheting-led wear and rolling contact fatigue. Wear 2008, 265(9-10), 1325-1331.
• Fletcher DI, Franklin FJ, Garnham JE, Muyupa E, Davis CL, Kapoor A, Widiyarta M, Vasic G. Three-Dimensional Microstructural Modelling Of Wear, Crack Initiation and Growth In Rail Steel. International Journal of Railway 2008, 1(3), 106-112.
• Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Modelling wear and crack initiation in rails. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 2007, 221(1), 23-33.
• Garnham JE, Franklin FJ, Fletcher DI, Kapoor A, Davis CL. Predicting the life of steel rails. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 2007, 221(1), 45-58.
• Franklin FJ, Garnham JE, Fletcher DI, Davis CL, Kapoor A. Modelling rail steel microstructure and its effect on wear and crack initiation. In: 7th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems.2006,Brisbane, Australia
• Franklin FJ, Garnham JE, Fletcher DI, Davis CL, Kapoor A. Modelling rail steel microstructure and its effect on wear and crack initiation UK. In: Presented at Contact Mecahnics (CM).2006,Brisbane, Australia
• Widiyarta IM, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Modelling thermal effects in ratcheting-led wear and rolling contact fatigue. In: 7th International Conference on Contact mechanics and wear of rail/wheel systems.2006,Brisbane, Australia
• Kapoor A, Fletcher DI, Franklin FJ, Beagels AE, Burstow M, Allen R, Evans G, Jaiswal J. Management and understanding of rolling contact fatigue, WP1: Mechanims of Crack Initiaton and WP2: Crack Growth. London, UK: Railway Safety and Standards Board, 2005. Deliverable 1 Literature Review.
• Kapoor A, Fletcher DI, Franklin FJ, Vasic G, Smith L. New developments in rail wheel contact research at the University of Newcastle. In: 11th International Conference on Fracture (ICF11).2005,Turin, Italy
• Alwahdi F, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. The effect of partial slip on the wear rate of rails. Wear 2005,258 7-8 1031-1037.
• Hiensch M, Larsson PO, Nilsson O, Levy D, Kapoor A, Franklin F, Nielsen J, Ringsberg JW, Lennart Josefson B. Two-material rail development: field test results regarding rolling contact fatigue and squeal noise behaviour. Wear 2005,258 7-8 964-972.
• Franklin FJ, Fletcher DI, Kapoor A. Computer models for studying crack initiation. In: World Congress on Rail research. 2003, Edinburgh, UK.
• Hiensch M, Larsson PO, Nilsson O, Lecy D, Kapoor A, Franklin FJ, Nielsen J, Ringsberg JW, Josefson BL. Development of a two-material rail for RCF and noise control. In: World Congress on Rail research. 2003, Edinburgh, UK.
• Fletcher DI, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Image analysis to reveal crack development using a computer simulation of wear and rolling contact fatigue. Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures 2003, 26(10), 957-967.
• Vasic G, Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. New rail materials and coatings. Rail Research UK Association: University of Newcatle upon Tyne, 2003. Final Report of the Start up Project for RRUK.
• Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Representing microstructure in the Dynarat wear model. The University of Sheffield, UK, 2003. Final report of the start up project for RRUK.
• Kapoor A, Fletcher DI, Franklin FJ. The role of wear in enhancing rail life. In: Tribological Research and Design for Engineering Systems: 29th Leeds-Lyon Symposium on Tribology. 2003, Leeds, UK: Elsevier.
• Kapoor A, Ringsberg JW, Josefson BL, Franklin FJ. Shakedown limits in three-dimensional wheel-rail rolling -sliding contacts. In: Eighth International Fatigue Congress. 2002, Stockholm, Sweden: Higher Education Press UK.
• Hiensch M, Kapoor A, Josefson BL, Ringsberg JW, Nielsen J, Franklin FJ. Two-material rail development to prevent rolling contact fatigue and reduce noise levels in curved rail track. In: 5th World Congress on Railway Research: WCRR 2001. 2001, Cologne, Germany: WCRR.
• Franklin FJ, Kapoor A. Effect of adhesion on wear by plastic ratchetting. Tribology Series: Thinning Films and Tribological Interfaces 2000, 38, 105-114.
• Kapoor A, Franklin FJ. Tribological layers and the wear of ductile materials. Wear 2000, 245(1-2), 204-215.
• Franklin FJ and Kapoor A. Mechanics of Wear. From Conventional Components to MEMS. In: Tribology Issues and Opportunities in MEMS. 1997, Columbus, Ohio.
• Vasic G, Franklin FJ, Fletcher DI. Influence of partial slip and direction of traction on wear rate in wheel-rail contact. Wear 2011, 270(3-4), 163-171.
• Franklin FJ, Gahlot A, Fletcher DI, Garnham JE, Davis C. Three-dimensional modelling of rail steel microstructure and crack growth. WEAR 2011, 271(1-2), 357-363.
• Garnham JE, Fletcher DI, Davis CL, Franklin FJ. Visualization and modelling to understand rail rolling contact fatigue cracks in three dimensions. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 2011, 225(F2), 165-178.