Sir Bernard Crossland CBE. 20 October 1923—17 January 2011

Abstract

Bernard Crossland was one of the UK's most eminent engineers and an inspirational figure in his profession. He was a leading expert in materials and structural integrity, applied particularly to thick-walled pressure vessels and explosive welding. After an initial period with Rolls-Royce, his early academic career was at the University of Bristol where he developed his research into strength of thick cylinders under high pressure. He was appointed Professor of Mechanical Engineering and head of that department at Queen's University Belfast in 1959 at the age of 35, and he proceeded to transform both teaching and research in that department over the next 23 years. He continued his research into behaviour of thick-walled pressure vessels and also started research into explosive welding and forming in Belfast. After his retirement from QUB he was appointed as an expert adviser or expert witness in a number of high-profile disaster inquiries, including the King's Cross Underground fire in 1987, the Bilsthorpe Colliery roof collapse in 1993 and the Ramsgate Ferry walkway collapse in 1994. He took a major part in professional affairs in engineering and was president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1986/87. He was knighted in 1990 for Services to Education and Industry in Northern Ireland and was presented with the Sustained Achievement Award of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2010.