My research centres around the application of advanced experimental methods to materials engineering applications, particularly in the nuclear power and aerospace industries. My group has a range of research projects assessing materials performance and structural integrity issues in collaboration with partners in industry and government research laboratories around the world, including Airbus, Arconic, and the US Air Force Research Laboratories. I am a partner in the International Joint Research Centre on Nuclear Safety funded by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

Professor Michael Fitzpatrick is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering, Environment and Computing at Coventry University, and holds the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Chair of Structural Integrity and Systems Performance. His research centres around the application of advanced experimental methods to materials engineering applications, particularly in the nuclear power and aerospace industries. He has published over 230 research papers. His group has a range of research projects assessing materials performance and structural integrity issues in collaboration with partners in industry and government research laboratories around the world. His recent interests include the study of laser shock peening for life enhancement of aerospace and marine structures, and the development of novel structural concepts such as bonded crack retarders for improving airframe structural integrity. He has been a user of the international neutron and synchrotron X-ray facilities for over 20 years, for the study of internal stress and damage development in metallic materials and components. He was the recipient of the Lidstone Medal of The Welding Institute in 2009.

Michael is a Non-Executive Director for Diamond Light Source Ltd, the UK's national synchrotron X-ray facility.

Area of Expertise:

Experimental stress analysis; residual stress; fatigue and fracture; forensic engineering; laser shock peening