Professor Paul Fleming

Paul has a background in Geotechnical Engineering with more than 35 years’ experience in research and practice. His industry experience includes many aspects of geotechnical design, field testing and monitoring, and ground investigations. His PhD developed a novel field dynamic impact method to measure the stiffness behaviour of highway foundation materials during construction. Alongside ongoing work in transport Infrastructure – design, construction and performance, since 2002 he has developed and led the Sports Surface Research Group at Loughborough University, working with colleagues on innovations in pitch base design, sustainable drainage, innovative pitch testing, biomechanical performance, injury risk, player perception of comfort and risk, and optimising maintenance practice and effectiveness. His current projects include mechanical behaviour of performance infills, traction mechanics, and the FIH’s benchmarking performance of water-based hockey fields and player feedback monitoring for new turf technologies. His most recent projects include: Correlating impact test devices; mechanics of non-filled turf; impacts of climate change on sport surfaces; and maintenance best-practice for non-SBR fields. He has supervised more than 20 PhD students to completion and published over 150 refered articles.