Mr Peter Falkingham
Three-Dimensional Dinosaur Track Analysis: Integration Of Biomechanical And Analogue Modelling Applied To Interpretation Of The Fossil Record
BSc Geology and Biology Joint Honours (Bristol) 2003, MSc Computer Science (Bristol) 2004
Room Number: 1.73 [Williamson Building]
Email: peter.falkingham@manchester.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 161 306 9361
Project Overview
Historically, dinosaur tracks have been predominantly interpreted as two dimensional surface features, allegedly resembling the form of the track maker’s foot. Work by Manning (2004) and Allen (1989), has shown that this is not necessarily the case, and has highlighted the importance of transmitted tracks. These transmitted tracks are formed when sedimentary layers are deformed beneath the surface on which the track maker walked. The mechanical properties of the sediment, the foot morphology, and the limb kinematics affect the way pressures are transmitted through the substrate. Depending on which layer within the substrate is exposed, the visible track may be a transmitted track, and thus vary considerably from the original surface track. Interpretation is dependant upon track geometry. If a feature is incorrectly interpreted as a surface feature, subsequent analysis (speed, population dynamics etc) will be flawed.
My project aims to use computational methods, incluing Finite Element Analysis, combined with physical modelling, to quantitatively understand dinosaur tracks not as two dimensional structures, but as three dimensional volumes extending into the substrate below the surface. By providing this basis for understanding dinosaur tracks, future interpretations of fossil trackways can be made with an appreciation that what is exposed may not be a simple indication of the track maker's foot morphology.
More information can be found here.
Project Supervisor(s)
Specific research interests
Dinosaur trackways, computer modelling, biomechanics, Finite element analysis
Publications
Falkingham, P. L., Thompson, K., Agenbroad, L. D. and Manning, P. L. In Press. First Discovery of Bird tracks at the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, S.D. Ichnos
Bates, K.T., Breithaupt Brent, H., Falkingham, P.L., Matthews Neffra, A., Hodgetts, D., and Manning, P.L., 2009, Integrated LiDAR & photogrammetric documentation of the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite (Wyoming, USA), in Foss, S.E., Cavin, J.L., Brown, T., Kirkland, J.I., and Santucci, V.L., eds., Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Fossil Resources: Utah, p. 101-103.
Bates, K.T., Falkingham, P.L., Breithaupt, B.H., Hodgetts, D., Sellers, W.I., and Manning, P.L., 2009, How big was 'big al'? Quantifying the effect of soft tissue and osteological unknowns on mass predictions for allosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda): Palaeontologia Electronica, v. 12, p. 33.
Manning, P. L., Margetts, L., Johnson, M. R.,Withers, P., Codd, J., Sellers, W. I., Falkingham,P. L., Mummery, P. M., and Barrett, P. M, 2009. Biomechanicsof Dromaeosaurid Dinosaur Claws: Application of X-Ray Microtomography,Nano-Indentation and Finite Element Analysis. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 292(9): 1397-1405.
Bates, K. T., Falkingham, P. L., Farlow, J. O., Briethaupt, B. H., O’Brien, M.,Matthews, N., Hodgetts, D., Sellers, W. I., and Manning, P. L. 2009. Digital Imaging and Public Engagement in Palaeontology. Geology Today 25(4):134-139
Falkingham,P.L., Margetts, L., Smith, I. M., Manning, P. L., 2009, A Reinterpretation of Palmate andSemi-Palmate (Webbed) Fossil Tracks; Insights from Finite Element Modelling. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology271(1-2): 69-76.
Manning, P. L., Ott, C. and Falkingham, P. L. 2008. The First Tyrannosaurid Track from the Hell Creek Formation (Late Cretaceous), Montana, U.S.A. Palaios 23:645-647.
Papers given at conferences:
December 2009 Falkingham, P. L., Manning, P. L., and Margetts, L., The effects of pedal geometry and morphology on track depth: taking a step towards using fossil tracks as palaeopenetrometers through finite element analysis and physical experimentation. 53rd Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting, Birmingham.
September 2009 Falkingham, P. L., Preservational bias in vertebrate track assemblages due to animal size and substrate consistency. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Bristol.
May 2009 Falkingham, P. L., Ick! No Fossils! Advances in Vertebrate Palaeoichnology. Progressive Palaeontology, Birmingham.
May 2009. Bates, K. T. and Falkingham, P. L. Digital Imaging and public engagement in palaeontology. Progressive Palaeontology, Birmingham.
May 2009. Bates, K. T., Breithaupt, B. H., Falkingham, P. L., Matthews, N., Hodgetts, D., and Manning, P. L. Integrated Lidar & photograpmmetric documentation of the Red Gulch dinosaur tracksite (Wyoming, U.S.A). 8th Conference on Fossil resources, St George, Utah.
December 2008. Falkingham, P. L., Manning, P. L. and Margetts, L. Using computer simulation to explain variation in fossil vertebrate tracks. 52nd Palaeontological Association Meeting, Glasgow.
December 2008. Bates, K. T., Falkingham, P. L., Breithaupt, B. H., Hodgetts, D., Sellers, W. I., and Manning, P. L. Estimating mass properties of dinosaurs using laser imaging and 3D computer modelling. 52nd Palaeontological Association Meeting, Glasgow.
October 2008. Falkingham, P. L., Margetts, L., and Manning, P. L. Novel techniques – using finite element analysis to aid interpretation of dinosaur tracks. 48th meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology, Cleveland, Ohio.
June 2008. Falkingham, P. L., Hadrosaur tracks, radial cracks, and finite elements. Invited talk at the Exhibit Grand Opening 'Dakota: A mummified Dinosaur.' North Dakota Heritage Centre, USA.
May 2008. Falkingham, P. L., Appearances can be decieving: effects of soil mechanics and biomechanics on vertebrate track morphology - Implications for interpretation. Progressive Palaeontology, Manchester.
May 2008. Falkingham, P. L., Dinosaur tracks – where biomechanics meet soil mechanics. 3rd North West Biomechanics Research Day, Manchester.
October 2007. Falkingham, P. L., Manning, P. L., Agenbroad, L. D., Thompson, K. M., Schneider, J. M. Vertebrate Tracks and their Significance at the Mammoth Site (Late Pleistocene) of Hot Springs South Dakota. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado.
October 2007. Falkingham, P. L., Manning, P. L., Margetts, L. Finite Element Analysis of Dinosaur Tracks. 47th Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Austin, Texas.
September 2007. Falkingham, P. L., Manning, P. L., Margetts L., Finch, E.. Large Scale Computer Simulation using High Performance Computing in Studying Dinosaur Track Formation. Computer aided Visualization in Palaeontology, London.
April 2007. Falkingham, P. L.. Finite Element Analysis and Three Dimensional Dinosaur Tracks. Progressive palaeontology, Bristol.
December. 2006. Manning, P. L., Margetts, L., Leng, J. M. Smith, I. M., and Falkingham, P. L.. Parallel three dimensional finite element analysis of dinosaur track formation. 50th Palaeontological Association Meeting, Sheffield.
Popular Science Publications
Falkingham,P. L. Virtual Palaeontology. NERC Planet Earth Magazine.
Recent and forthcoming publications
Publications in Review.
Falkingham, P. L., Margetts, L., and Manning, P. L., In Review. Fossil Vertebrate Tracks as Palaeopenetrometers: confounding effects of foot morphology.
Falkingham, P. L., Milan, J, and Manning, P. L. in Review. A Crocodilian trace from the Lance Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Wyoming.
Publications in preparation.
Falkingham, P. L. et al. In Prep. Preservational bias in dinosaur track assemblages related to size, sediment, and stratigraphy