Dr Emmanuel Matsika

Research Associate

Email: emmanuel.matsika@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 8648
Address: NewRail Research Hub,
Stephenson Building,
Claremont Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU

Background

Dr. Emmanuel Matsika is a Research Associate at NewRail. He carries out research on national, EU and international projects aimed at improving performance, safety and security of road and rail transport systems. By profession, he is a mechanical engineer, holding an M.Eng and B. Eng. Additionally, he conducts research in engineering and transportation, working with international collaborative interdisciplinary teams, aimed at addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2011, he obtained a PhD in railway vehicle crashworthiness focussing his research on ‘Modelling and Experimental Testing of a Wheelchair Occupant During a Railway Vehicle Crash’.

Previously, he was a lecturer in mechanical engineering in Zambia, specialising in applied mechanics, automobile and thermofluids engineering. He was also a consultant in global sustainability, specifically in the area of energy and environment working on EU, World Bank and UN projects.

Research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Mechanical Engineering Design
Rail and Road Transport Engineering
Vehicle structural/dynamics design and analysis
Design and analysis of vehicles for safety and security
Accessibility and Inclusive transport
Energy and Environment

FUNDING

EU SAFETY4RAILS (2020 – 2022): The SAFETY4RAILS is aimed at developing a platform to address cyber-physical threats in railway systems. Website: https://safety4rails.eu/.

Project Value: €9.64m

UNEW: €328,000

Roles: Principal Investigator (Newcastle University), and WP6 Leader
DistributeRainwater4Communities (Dec 2020 - Mar 2022): This RAEng - funded project is aimed at building a UK - Africa network to address Global Challenges on water resilience (transportation and distribution).
Project Value: £20,000
UNEW: £2,500
Role: Project Principal Investigator (Newcastle University)
InclusiveTransport4Africa (Sep 2020 - Aug 2021): This RAEng - funded project is aimed at building a UK - Africa network to address Global Challenges on Inclusive Cities.

Project Value: £20,000

UNEW: £5,400

Role: Project Principal Investigator

EU FAIR Stations (2017 – 2019): The FAIR Stations project aimed to develop solutions for improved passenger flow within the station, and at the platform train interface (PTI). This would put customer satisfaction, and security & safety at the centre of the station design, paying special attention to needs of PRMs (accessibility). Website: http://www.fairstations.eu/.

Project Value: €1.2m

UNEW: €272,000

Roles: Principal Investigator (Newcastle University), and Technical Coordinator.

PhD EXAMINATION

Makamba M (2019): PhD in Computer Science. Dynamic Integration of Heterogeneous Services. University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, South Africa.

MSc PROJECT SUPERVISION & EXAMINATION

Li L (2019): Automatic Gap Filler Ramp for Persons with Reduced Mobility in Railway Stations. MSc Mechanical Engineering. Newcastle University.
Guo N (2018): Independent Boarding System for PRMs in Train Station. MSc Mechanical Engineering. Newcastle University.
Ali Shaikh F (2018): Impact of Indian Sugar Industries on Ethanol Production & on Environment. MSc Mechanical Engineering. Newcastle University.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Matsika E (2017): Chapter 5 Interior Train Design of Commuter Trains: Standing Seats, and Consideration for Persons with Reduced Mobility. In the book Sustainable Rail Transport /Sub-Title: Proceedings of RailNewcastle 2016 Rail Talks. Edited by Dr. Marin Marinov.
Gomez, D R, Wattersson, J., Americano, B.B. , Ha, C., Marland, G., Matsika E. Namayanga L. Osman, B., Saka, J., Treanton, K. (2006): Volume 2 Energy. Chapter 2 Stationary combustion. in: 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, IPCC National Greenhouse Gas. Inventory Programme, IGES, 2.1-2.45. Available at http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/pdf/2_Volume2/V2_2_Ch2_Stationary_Combustion.pdf
Yamba F., Matsika E., Mathangwane, F., Kgabung W. M., Yameogo G., Ba L., Khennas S., Owalla H., and Gitonga, S. (2002) The Energy Transition – Is it Happening in Households?. Lusaka, Centre for Energy Environment and Engineering Zambia.

JOURNAL REVIEWER

International Journal of Crashworthiness
Assistive Technology - Official journal for RESNA
Safety Journal
Sustainability Journal
Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering
Urban Rail Transit
Transport Journal

CONFERENCE REVIEWER

- EU Transport Research Arena (TRA)

Teaching

Lecturer on MSc Rail Freight and Logistics:

Modules:

MEC8038 - Rail Vehicles

MEC8040 - Safety & Security

Publications

Matsika E, Li L. Accessible Rail Station Platform Independent Gap Filler for Persons With Reduced Mobility. In: 9th International Conference on Appropriate Technology. 2020, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria: Tshwane University of Technology.
Peng Q, Sun T, Zhu P, Han F, Matsika E, Robinson M. The Influence of Coach Interior Partitions and Seat Leaf-Tables on Occupant Injury in A Frontal Collision. International Journal of Crashworthiness 2020, (ePub ahead of Print).
Peng Q, Sun T, Zhu P, Han F, Matsika E, Robinson M. Occupant Injury Risk Assessment and Protective Measures in Frontal Collision of a Bus. International Journal of Crashworthiness 2019, 24(4), 429-441.
Peng Q, Liu S, Robinson M, Han F, Matsika E. A digital expression method for the module interface in a practical bus chassis modular design and case history. Concurrent Engineering: Research and Applications 2018, 26(4), 355-366.
Matsika E, Peng Q. Analytical Approach to Determining Factors that Influence Wheelchair Occupant Kinematics during a Railway Vehicle Crash. In: Transport Research Arena 2018. 2018, Vienna, Austria.
Matsika E, ONeill C, Grasso M, De Iorio A. Selection and ranking of the main beam geometry of a freight wagon for lightweighting. Journal of Rail and Rapid Transport 2018, 232(2), 495-513.
Matsika E, O'Neill C, Battista U, Khosravi M, Laportec AS, Munoz E. Development of Risk Assessment Specifications for Analysing Terrorist Attacks Vulnerability on Metro and Light Rail Systems. In: Transport Research Arena TRA2016. 2016, Warsaw, Poland: Elsevier.
Matsika E, O'Neill C. Reducing the Cost of Railway Vehicle – Key Lessons from the Aerospace, Automotive and Marine Industries. In: World Congress of Rail Research 2016. 2016, Milan, Italy: WCRR.
Matsika E, Robinson AM, O'Neill C, Battista U, Khosravi M, Laportec AS, Munoz E. Risk Assessment Tool for Analysing Terrorist Attack Impact on Metro and Light Rail Systems Risk Assessment Tool for Analysing Terrorist Attack Impact on Metro and Light Rail Systems. In: 44th European Transport Conference 2016. 2016, Barcelona, Spain. In Preparation.
Matsika E, Peng Q. Crash safety of a typical bay table in a railway vehicle. Transport Problems 2015, 10(Special Edition), 97-110.
Matsika E, Robinson AM, O'Neill C, Peng Q, Zhou Z. Railway Vehicle Interior Crash Safety Standard – The Missing link?. In: The 12th International Forum of Automotive Traffic Safety (INFATS). 2015, Xiamen, China.
O'Neill C, Matsika E, Robinson M, Zhou S, Peng Q. The Role of Risk Assessment in Reducing Risk of the Railway Assets to Terrorist Attacks. In: The 12th International Forum of Automotive Traffic Safety (INFATS). 2015, INFATS.
Zunder TH, Jackson R, Matsika E. Charting the development of an innovative rail freight concept for low density high value goods from inception to design. In: 5th Transport Research Arena (TRA) Conference. 2014, Paris, France: IFSTTAR.
Zunder TH, Jackson R, Matsika E. Charting the development of an innovative rail freight concept for low density, high value goods – from inception to design. In: TRA2014 Transport Research Arena. 2014, Paris, France. Submitted.
Matsika E, Chirwa EC, Peng Q. Kinematics and injury risk of a wheelchair occupant in a railway vehicle crash. International Journal of Crashworthiness 2014, 19(5), 446-456.
Jackson R, Matsika E, Zunder TH, Mahler S. Conceptualisation of an Innovative Rail Freight Vehicle for Transporting LDHV Cargo in an EU Context. In: World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) 2013. 2013, Sydney, Australia.
Matsika E, Chirwa CE, Peng Q. Influence of Human Related Factors on Railway Vehicle Wheelchair Occupant Crash Safety. In: 2013 Joint Rail Conference. 2013, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA: ASME.
Matsika E, Chirwa CE, Peng Q. Influence of Human Related Factors on Railway Vehicle Wheelchair Occupant Crash Safety. In: ASME Joint Rail Conference. 2013, Knoxville, TN, USA: American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Matsika E, Ricci S, Mortimer P, Georgiev N, O’Neill C. Rail vehicles, environment, safety and security. Research in Transportation Economics 2013, 41(1), 43-58.
Matsika E, O'Neill C. Wheelchair Occupant Human Factors in Train Crash Safety. In: World Congress on Railway Research (WCRR) 2013. 2013, Sydney, Australia.
Matsika E. Wheelchair space design in rolling stock to improve occupant crash safety. European Railway Review. Rolling Stock Design Supplement 2012, 18(5), 9-12.
Matsika E, Chirwa EC, Peng Q, Myler P, Nowpada S. Wheelchair occupant kinematics during a rail carriage crash. International Journal of Crashworthiness 2011, 16(5), 487-500.
Nowpada S, Chirwa EC, Myler P, Matsika E. Aluminum “Egg-Box” Panel as an Energy Absorber for Pedestrian Protection. Advanced Engineering Materials 2010, 12(7), 591-595.