Associate Professor Matthew Mason
Associate Professor
School of Civil Engineering
+61 7 336 54126
Room 550:1
Advanced Engineering Building (49)
Advanced Engineering Building (49)
Researcher biography
Dr Mason began at The University of Queensland in late 2014 after holding academic positions at The University of Sydney and QUT. Prior to joining UQ he also worked as a catastrophe risk researcher for the industry-focused research centre, Risk Frontiers at Macquarie University. Matthew's key areas of interest and expertise lie in the fields of:
- Wind Engineering
- Stochastic modelling of hazards, including convective storms and tropical cyclones
- Probabilistic modelling of structural and infrastructure vulnerability to wind, water and hail
- Catastrophe loss modelling for natural hazards
- Modelling and observation of the atmospheric boundary layer
- Wind tunnel testing and analysis
- Disaster insurance
Dr Mason is currently the Chair of the Standards Australia wind loading sub-committee responsible for maintenance of AS/NZS1170.2.
Publications
Book
Flay, R. G. J., Ginger, J. D., Holmes, J. D., Kwok, K. C. S., Mason, M. S., Noicos, L., Turner, R. and Wood, G. S. (2022). Wind loading handbook for Australia and New Zealand. Australia: The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Book Chapter
Mason, Matthew, Haynes, Katharine and Walker, George (2013). Cyclone tracy and the road to improving wind–resistant design. Natural disasters and adaptation to climate change. (pp. 87-94) edited by Sarah Boulter, Jean Palutikof, David John Karoly and Daniela Guitart. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511845710.012
Journal Articles
Qin, Hao, Mason, Matthew S. and Stewart, Mark G. (2024). Physics-based flood vulnerability assessment for steel portal framed industrial buildings. Engineering Structures, 316 118600, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2024.118600
Wang, Zhiruoyu, Orabi, Mhd Anwar, Nan, Zhuojun, Wang, Weiyong, Mason, Matthew and Lange, David (2023). The response of diagrid structures to fire. Fire Safety Journal, 141 103924, 103924. doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2023.103924
Li, Yang, Mason, Matthew S., Bin, Hao-Yu and Lo, Yuan-Lung (2023). Aerodynamic characteristics of a high-rise building in a steady thunderstorm outflow-like flow field. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 240 105501, 105501. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2023.105501
Spassiani, Alessio C., Mason, Matthew S. and Cheng, Vincent Y. S. (2023). An Australian convective wind gust climatology using Bayesian hierarchical modelling. Natural Hazards, 118 (3), 2037-2067. doi: 10.1007/s11069-023-06078-8
Holmes, John D., Flay, Richard G.J., Ginger, John D., Mason, Matthew, Rofail, Antonios and Wood, Graeme S. (2023). The 2021 Australian/New Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 1170.2:2021. Wind and Structures, 37 (2), 95-104. doi: 10.12989/was.2023.37.2.095
Alminhana, Fabio, Mason, Matthew and Albermani, Faris (2023). Transmission line failure propagation under extreme wind scenarios: extratropical cyclones. Engineering Structures, 284 115942, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.115942
Qin, Hao, Mason, Matthew and Stewart, Mark G. (2023). Fragility assessment for new and deteriorated portal framed industrial buildings subjected to tropical cyclone winds. Structural Safety, 100 102287, 1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.strusafe.2022.102287
Guo, Fangjuan, Wu, Gefei, Du, Xiaoqing and Mason, Matthew S. (2021). Numerical investigation of flow around a square cylinder in accelerated flow. Physics of Fluids, 33 (10) 104105, 104105. doi: 10.1063/5.0062282
Lyu, Junwei, Mason, Matthew S. and Wang, Chien Ming (2021). Predicting far-lee wind flow characteristics behind a 2D wedge-shaped obstacle: experiments, numerical simulations and empirical equations. Building and Environment, 194 107673, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107673
Spassiani, Alessio C. and Mason, Matthew S. (2021). Application of self-organizing maps to classify the meteorological origin of wind gusts in Australia. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 210 104529, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2021.104529
Karampour, H., Wu, Z. and Mason, M. S. (2021). An experimental investigation of forces on a textured cylinder at subcritical Reynolds numbers. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics, 14 (6), 1787-1793. doi: 10.47176/jafm.14.06.32495
Lyu, Junwei, Wang, Chien Ming and Mason, Matthew S. (2020). Review of models for predicting wind characteristics behind windbreaks. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 199 104117, 104117. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2020.104117
Callaghan, David P., Mumby, Peter J. and Mason, Matthew S. (2020). Near-reef and nearshore tropical cyclone wave climate in the Great Barrier Reef with and without reef structure. Coastal Engineering, 157 103652, 103652. doi: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2020.103652
Yang, Ting and Mason, Matthew S. (2019). Aerodynamic characteristics of rectangular cylinders in steady and accelerating wind flow. Journal of Fluids and Structures, 90, 246-262. doi: 10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2019.07.004
Lombardo, Franklin T., Mason, Matthew S. and de Alba, Antonio Zaldivar (2018). Investigation of a downburst loading event on a full-scale low-rise building. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 182, 272-285. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2018.09.020
Alminhana, Fabio, Albermani, Faris and Mason, Matthew (2018). Cascading collapse of transmission lines. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Engineering and Computational Mechanics, 171 (3), 115-132. doi: 10.1680/jencm.18.00010
Alminhana, Fábio, Mason, Matthew and Albermani, Faris (2017). A compact nonlinear dynamic analysis technique for transmission line cascades. Engineering Structures, 158, 164-174. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.12.039
Smith, Daniel J., Krupar, Richard J., Henderson, David J. and Mason, Matthew S. (2017). Analysis of rapid damage assessment data following severe windstorm events. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 32 (4), 52-57.
Walker, George R., Mason, Matthew S., Crompton, Ryan P. and Musulin, Rade T. (2016). Application of insurance modelling tools to climate change adaptation decision-making relating to the built environment. Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 12 (4), 450-462. doi: 10.1080/15732479.2015.1020498
Hall, Cameron L., Mason, Matthew S., Psaltis, Steven, Chan, Matthew, Conway, Eamon, Foy, Brody, Mirnaziry, Sayyed R., Rose, Danya, Taylor, Stephen and Tomczyk, Jakub (2015). Structural modelling of deformable screens for large door openings. The ANZIAM Journal, 57, M55-M114. doi: 10.21914/anziamj.v57i0.10156
Alminhana, Fabio, Albermani, Faris and Mason, Matthew (2015). Comparison of responses of guyed and freestanding transmission line towers under conductor breakage loading. International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics, 15 (8) 1540023, 1540023.1-1540023.21. doi: 10.1142/S0219455415400234
Haigh, Ivan D., Wijeratne, E. M.S., MacPherson, Leigh R., Pattiaratchi, Charitha B., Mason, Matthew S., Crompton, Ryan P. and George, Steve (2014). Estimating present day extreme water level exceedance probabilities around the coastline of Australia: tides, extra-tropical storm surges and mean sea level. Climate Dynamics, 42 (1-2), 121-138. doi: 10.1007/s00382-012-1652-1
Haigh, Ivan D., MacPherson, Leigh R., Mason, Matthew S., Wijeratne, E. M. S., Pattiaratchi, Charitha B., Crompton, Ryan P. and George, Steve (2014). Estimating present day extreme water level exceedance probabilities around the coastline of Australia: tropical cyclone-induced storm surges. Climate Dynamics, 42 (1-2), 139-157. doi: 10.1007/s00382-012-1653-0
Mason, M. S., Fletcher, D. F. and Wood, G. S. (2010). Numerical simulation of idealised three-dimensional downburst wind fields. Engineering Structures, 32 (11), 3558-3570. doi: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2010.07.024
Mason, Matthew S., Wood, Graeme S. and Fletcher, David F. (2010). Numerical investigation of the influence of topography on simulated downburst wind fields. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 98 (1), 21-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2009.08.011
Mason, Matthew S., Wood, Graeme S. and Fletcher, David F. (2009). Numerical simulation of downburst winds. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 97 (11-12), 523-539. doi: 10.1016/j.jweia.2009.07.010
Mason, M. S., Wood, G. S. and Fletcher, D. F. (2009). Influence of tilt and surface roughness on the outflow wind field of an impinging jet. Wind and Structures, An International Journal, 12 (3), 179-204. doi: 10.12989/was.2009.12.3.179
Mason, M. S., James, D. L. and Letchford, C. W. (2009). Wind pressure measurements on a cube subjected to pulsed impinging jet flow. Wind and Structures, 12 (1), 77-88. doi: 10.12989/was.2009.12.1.077
Mason, M. S., Wood, G. S. and Fletcher, D. F. (2007). Impinging jet simulation of stationary down burst flow over topography. Wind and Structures, An International Journal, 10 (5), 437-462. doi: 10.12989/was.2007.10.5.437
Mason, MS, Letchford, CW and James, DL (2005). Pulsed wall jet simulation of a stationary thunderstorm downburst, Part A: Physical structure and flow field characterization. Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics, 93 (7), 557-580. doi: 10.1016/j.jwela.2005.05.006
Conference Papers
Wang, Zhiruoyu, Orabi, Mhd Anwar, Nan, Zhunjun, Mason, Matthew, Wang, Weiyong and Lange, David (2024). Optimising diagrid design for fire resistance in high-rise buildings. 13th International Conference On Structures In Fire Sif’24, Coimbra, Portugal, 19-21 June 2024. Portugal: CMM - Portuguese Steelwork Association.
Mason, Matthew (2023). A two-process near-surface downburst wind field model. 16th International Conference on Wind Engineering, Florence, Italy, 27-31 August 2023.
Mason, Matthew S. (2023). Analysis of full-scale transient wind event boundary layers at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory. 21st Australasian wind Engineering Society Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2-3 February 2023. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Zhang, Yuhui and Mason, Matthew (2023). Velocity fields behind non-uniform passive grid screens in a boundary layer wind tunnel. 21st Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2-3 February 2023. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Reis, Robert, Doh, Jeung-Hwan, Karampour, Hassan and Mason, Matthew (2023). Investigation of shielding factors on multiple plane frames at various solidities. 21st Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2-3 February 2023. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Qin, Hao, Mason, Matthew and Stewart, Mark G. (2023). Vulnerability of industrial buildings to wind and storm surge. 21st Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2-3 February 2023. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Reis, Robert, Doh, Jeung-Hwan, Karampour, Hassan and Mason, Matthew (2023). Estimation of force coefficients for unclad mining structures of similar solidigy by various methods. 21st Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2-3 February 2023. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Zhang, Yuhui and Mason, Matthew S. (2022). Wind tunnel investigation of wall-bounded flow behind non-uniform porous screens. 23rd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Sydney, Australia, 4-8 December 2022. Perth, WA, Australia: Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
Hussan, Mosaruf and Mason, Matthew (2021). Assessment of empirical downburst models against field measurements of two thunderstorm outflow events. 20th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop (AWES2020), Online, 8-9 April 2021. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Yang, Ting and Mason, Matthew (2021). Transient aerodynamic characteristics of a square prism during an accelerating wind starting from quiescence. 20th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop (AWES2020), Online, 8-9 April 2021. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Lyu, Junwei, Mason, Matthew S. and Wang, Chien Ming (2021). Experimental and numerical simulation of wind characteristics behind square prism array windbreaks: Importance of replicating unintended longitudinal turbulence gradients. 20th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop (AWES2020), Online, 8-9 April 2021. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Lyu, Junwei, Wang, Chien Ming and Mason, Matthew S. (2020). Experimental and Numerical Simulation of Wind Characteristics Behind Wedge-shaped Windbreak. 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-10 December 2020. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/e8017ba
Mason, Matthew, Li, Yang and Lo, Yuan-Lung (2020). Wind Loads on the CAARC High-Rise Building Subject to Non-Traditional Boundary Layer Profiles. 22nd Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC2020, Brisbane, Australia, 7-10 December 2020. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/fa179c4
Mason, Matthew and Schwartz, Andrew (2018). A preliminary study of the vertical structure of convective outflows measured at the boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO). 19th Australasian Wind Engineering Society Workshop, Torquay, Australia, 4-6 April 2018. The Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Mason, M. S. (2017). Towards codification of localised windstorms: progress and challenges. 9th Asia-Pacific Conference on Wind Engineering, Auckland, New Zealand, 3-7 December 2017.
Krupar, Richard J. III, Mason, Matthew S., Smith, Daniel J., Soderholm, Joshua S., Protat, Alain and Gunter, W. Scott (2017). Dual-doppler radar, in situ anemometric and ground damage observations of the 27 November 2014 Brisbane Supercell. 13th Americas Conference on Wind Engineering, ACWE 2017, Gainesville, FL, United States, 21-24 May 2017. Americas Conference on Wind Engineering.
Yang, T. and Mason, M. (2017). Aerodynamic forces on two-dimensional rectangular cylinders subjected to accelerating flow: effect of side ratio. 9th Asia Pacific Conference on Wind Engineering, APCWE 2017, Auckland, New Zealand, 3-7 December 2017. Australasian Wind Engineering Society.
Mason, M. S. and Yang, T. (2016). Modulation of vortex induced crosswind forces on a square cylinder during accelerating flow. Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Canberra, Australia, 5 - 8 December 2016. Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society.
Mason, Matthew (2015). An event-based modelling approach for assessing downburst risk to structures. International Conference on Performance-based and Life-cycle Structural Engineering, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 9-11 December 2015. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.421
Henderson, David, Mason, Matthew and Ginger, John (2013). SWIRLnet: Portable anemometer network for wind speed measurements of land-falling tropical cyclones. 12th Americas Conference on Wind Engineering 2013: Wind Effects on Structures, Communities, and Energy Generation, ACWE 2013, Seattle, WA United States, 16-20 June 2013 . Fort Collins, CO United States: American Association for Wind Engineering.
MacPherson, Leigh R., Haigh, Ivan D., Mason, Matthew S., Wijeratne, E. M. S., Pattiaratchi, Charitha B. and George, Steve (2012). Extreme water level exceedance probabilities around Australia. 33rd International Conference on Coastal Engineering 2012, ICCE 2012, Santander, Spain, 1-6 July 2012. Los Angeles, CA United States: International Conference on Coastal Engineering. doi: 10.9753/icce.v33.currents.53
Department Technical Report
Hu, Jiayue, Chanson, Hubert and Mason, Matthew (2025). The 'aerodynamic' hydraulic jump: revisiting Hunter Rouse's analogy. Hydraulic Model Report, CH128/25. School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/73a52f1
Research Reports
Jarzabkowski, Paula, Meissner, Katie and Mason, Matthew (2024). Insurance status review and recommendations for Lismore. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Krupar III, Richard and Mason, Matthew S. (2017). A modified Severe Tropical Cyclone Marcia (2015) scenario: wind and storm tide hazards and impacts. Melbourne, VIC Australia: Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC.