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7 from 141 citations
Last updated 20th March 2026
Biography
Samuel Hawksbee graduated with a first class honours degree (MEng) in Civil and Structural Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 2007. Following a brief period with consultant Mott MacDonald, he returned in 2009 to the University of Sheffield. In 2013, he completed his PhD thesis entitled 3D ultimate limit state analysis using discontinuity layout optimization. Following his PhD, Samuel continued at the University of Sheffield, working on EPSRC and TSB funded projects studying masonry arch bridges. In 2014, he joined the Institute of Rail Research at the University of Huddersfield as Research Fellow.
His work at the IRR has included work on several industrial and EU funded projects. Most recently, he has modelled plastic deformation in rails with a focus on heavily loaded curves with significant freight traffic. By using non-linear finite element analysis (FEA), his work has highlighted the significant complexities in predicting such plastic deformations. Variations in vehicle operating speed, position of the
wheel-rail contact and rail material can all significantly influence the predictions. Prior to this, he investigated the dynamic performance of a transition system between two track systems. During this time, he has developed links across the rail industry including contacts at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), Network Rail and British Steel.
Research Expertise and Interests
- Rails
- Plastic Flow
- Squat
- Railroad Rolling Stock
- High Speed Railway
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Assessment of an Iterative Settlement Procedure in Railway Switches and Crossings Using Two Different Approaches
Sebès, M., Hawksbee, S., Naccache, F., Jorge, P., Toumi, M., Grossoni, I. & Bezin, Y., 1 Nov 2024, Advances in Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks III : Proceedings of the 28th Symposium of the International Association of Vehicle System Dynamics, IAVSD 2023, Rail Vehicles. Huang, W. & Ahmadian, M. (eds.). Springer, Cham, p. 1209-1218 10 p. (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
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Expanded statistical analysis of squats on the Great Britain (GB) mainline network
Tucker, G., Sztrauch, K., Bevan, A., Muhamedsalih, Y., Hawksbee, S., Shackleton, P., Mistry, P., Whitney, B. & Burstow, M., 1 Nov 2023, In: Heliyon. 9, 11, 16 p., e21112.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Modelling the improved behaviour of a switch installed on ballast-asphalt track
Hawksbee, S., Grossoni, I., Bezin, Y., Lee, B., Watson, G., Milne, D., Le Pen, L., Abadi, T. & Mascarenhas Jorge, P., 22 Aug 2022, In: Civil-Comp Conferences. 1, 8 p., 5.6.Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review
Open Access -
Prediction of track settlement at high-speed railway transitions between embankment and bridge in the proximity of a turnout
Grossoni, I., Hawksbee, S., Jorge, P., Bezin, Y. & Magalhaes, H., 1 Nov 2022, In: Transportation Geotechnics. 37, 16 p., 100879.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access15 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Modelling the Long-Term Behaviour of a High-Speed Railway Transition Zone Using a Lumped Parameter Track Model
Grossoni, I., Hawksbee, S., Jorge, P. & Bezin, Y., 12 Dec 2021, Proceedings of the 1st Conference of the European Association on Quality Control of Bridges and Structures - EUROSTRUCT 2021. Pellegrino, C., Faleschini, F., Zanini, M. A., Matos, J. C., Casas, J. R. & Strauss, A. (eds.). Springer, Cham, p. 1234-1241 8 p. (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering; vol. 200 LNCE).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
Activities
- 3 Oral presentation
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Assessment of an iterative settlement procedure in railway switches and crossings using two different approaches
Sebes, M. (Speaker), Hawksbee, S. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Naccache, F. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Mascarenhas Jorge, P. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Toumi, M. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Grossoni, I. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation) & Bezin, Y. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation)
21 Aug 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Modelling the improved behaviour of a switch installed on ballast-asphalt track
Hawksbee, S. (Speaker), Grossoni, I. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Bezin, Y. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Lee, B. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Watson, G. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Milne, D. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Le Pen, L. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation), Abadi, T. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation) & Mascarenhas Jorge, P. (Contributor to Paper or Presentation)
24 Aug 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Dynamic simulation of the V-Tras ‘superstructure’ transition solution
Hawksbee, S. (Speaker), Bezin, Y. (Speaker) & Goncalves Moreira Das Neves, S. (Speaker)
2018Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation