Emberley, Richard
Emberley, Richard

Associate Professor

Office: 13-234

Phone Number: 805-756-7055
Email:  remberle@calpoly.edu

Specialization/Area of Focus

Fire Dynamics, Structural Fire Engineering, Heat Transfer, Structural Mechanics

Richard Emberley is the Constant J. and Dorothy F. Chrones Professor of Mechanical Engineering within the Mechanical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California. Concurrently, he is jointly appointed in the Fire Protection Engineering Program within the College of Engineering. His teaching focuses on the areas of thermal-fluids and fire protection engineering in all aspects and covers both undergraduate and graduate-level courses. His research encompasses a broad range of topics included but not limited to, self-extinction of timber, compartment fire dynamics of exposed and protection timber structures, debonding of engineered timber, debonding of steel and fiber-reinforced plastics, visibility in smoke filled environments, and novel fire testing methodologies.

Education

  • Ph.D. (Civil Engineering), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 2017
  • M.S. (Fire Protection Engineering), Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, 2013
  • M.S. (Civil Engineering), Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, 2013
  • B.S. (Civil Engineering), Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, 2011

Academic Experience

  • 2017-present, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Fire Protection Engineering Program, full time

Current Membership in Professional Organizations

  • International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS)
  • Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)
  • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Student Club Advisor

  • Society of Fire Protection Engineers (Cal Poly Chapter)
  • Tau Beta Pi (Cal Poly – California Mu)

Honors and Awards

  • International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering (IMFSE) Erasmus Mundus – Scholar (2018, 2019)
  • Constant J. and Dorothy F. Chrones Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Cal Poly, 2019-present.

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Zhou, H., J. Torres, D. Fernando, A. Law, R. Emberley, The Bond Behaviour of FRP-to-Steel Bonded Joints with Varying Bond Properties at Elevated Temperatures, Engineering Structures, 2019. 183: p. 1121-1133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2018.10.044
  • Emberley, R.., T. Do, J. Yim, J.L. Torero, Critical Heat Flux for Extinction of Flaming Combustion of Timber, Fire Safety Journal, 2017. 91: p. 252-258. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.03.008
  • Emberley, R., C. Putynska, A. Bolanos, A. Lucherini, A. Solarte, D. Soriguer, M. Gutierrez Gonzalez, K. Humphreys, J.P. Hidalgo, C. Maluk, A. Law, J.L. Torero, Description of Small and Large-Scale CLT Fire Tests, Fire Safety Journal, 2017. 91: p.327-335. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.03.024
  • Emberley, R., A. Inghelbrecht, Z. Yu, J.L. Torero, Self-Extinction of Timber, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 2017. 36(2): p. 3055-3062. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proci.2016.07.077
  • Shaw, T., Gibson, T., J. Karlovsek, R. Emberley, J.L. Torero. Experimental evaluation of the heat flux induced by tunnel fires. Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, 2016. 60: p. 49-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2016.07.015

Courses Taught

  • Fluid Mechanics I (ME 341)
  • Heat Transfer (ME 350) – Lecture/Laboratory
  • Introduction to Fire Protection Engineering (ME 470/471) – Lecture/Laboratory
  • Fire Dynamics (FPE S502)
  • Flammability Assessment Methods (FPE S503)
  • Fire Detection, Alarm, and Communication Systems (FPE S522)
  • Structural Fire Protection (FPE S524)
  • Fire Safety Regulations and Management (FPE S551)
  • Smoke Management and Special Hazards (FPE S552)