Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation & Science - Overview

www.bris.ac.uk/composites

Prof Ian Bond

Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation & Science

Department of Aerospace Engineering

I.P.Bond@Bristol.ac.uk

Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science

• Established in 2007

• Brings together composites research across University

• Based in Engineering, linked to Science and Medicine

• Focus for collaboration between academia and industry

• ACCIS Vision:

A world leading centre for composites education and research, combining cutting edge fundamental science with strong industrial links for exploitation and technology transfer

Undercarriage stay

DTC Design, Build, Test

Modelling of carbon nanotube structure

Core Academic Staff

• Giuliano Allegri – Lecturer in Aerospace Structures

• Ian Bond – Professor of Aerospace Materials

• Jacopo Ciambella - Lecturer in Composites Engineering

• Ian Farrow – Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Structural Design

• Dmitry Ivanov – Lecturer in Composites Manufacturing

• Stephen Hallett – Reader in Aerospace Structures

• Paul Harper - Lecturer in Engineering Design

• Ivana Partridge - Professor of Composites Processing

• Hua-Xin Peng – Professor in Aerospace Materials

• Kevin Potter – Professor of Advanced Composites Manufacturing

• Sameer Rahatekar – Lecturer in Composites and Nanocomposites

• Fabrizio Scarpa – Professor of Smart Structures

• Wendel Sebastian – Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering

• Richard Trask – Senior Lecturer in Multifunctional Materials

• Paul Weaver – Professor of Lightweight Structures

• Michael Wisnom - Professor of Aerospace Structures

Other Academic Staff

• Faculty – David Ewins, Prof. of Vibration Engineering

– Phil Mellor, Prof. of Electrical Engineering

– David Smith, Prof. of Engineering Materials

– Bruce Drinkwater, Prof. of Ultrasonics – UK NDE Centre

• University – Chemistry, e.g. Prof. Steve Mann FRS

– Physics, e.g. Prof. John Steeds FRS

– Interface Analysis Centre – Prof. Geoff Allen

– Medicine – Dr. Bo Su

ACCIS Research Themes

• Multifunctional Composites and Novel Microstructures

• Design, Analysis and Failure

• Intelligent Structures

• Composites Processing and Characterisation

Embedded fibres for sensing, self healing

Predicting damage at notches

Morphing aerofoil

Fibre waviness in curved composite

Multifunctional Composites and Novel Microstructures

• Self healing, bleeding composites

• Composites with electromagnetic functionality

• Hierarchical microstructures

• Auxetic materials

• Nanomaterials and coatings

• Bioinspiration and biomimicry

Design, Analysis and Failure

• Failure mechanisms and modelling

• Virtual testing

• Optimisation and elastic tailoring

• Vibration and fatigue

• Impact and high strain rate effects

Intelligent Structures

• Morphing structures

• Polymorphic composites

• Self actuating composites

• Structural health monitoring and

acoustic emission

• Damage detection and prognosis

Composites Processing and Characterisation

• Drape and reinforcement deformation

• Variability and defects

• Automated manufacture

• Residual stresses and

distortion

• Recycling

Industrial Partnerships

• Rolls-Royce Composites UTC - focus on validated analysis methods. Now part of UTP with TU Dresden

• Partnership with Vestas - team working on design and manufacture of composite wind turbine blades

• Airbus Bristol Bath Strategic Alliance in Composite Technologies (ABBSTRACT) Centred on EPSRC project on variable angle tow placement to maximise performance, in collaboration with GKN

• Agusta Westland Rotorcraft UTC

Academic Partnerships

• EPSRC Programme Grant

High Performance Ductile Composites

£6M Collaboration with Imperial College

Led by Prof. Michael Wisnom at Bristol

• EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Composites

With Nottingham, Manchester and Cranfield

£4.9M project led by Prof. Andrew Long

Bristol activity led by Prof. Kevin Potter

ACCIS Doctoral Training Centre

• £7M EPSRC award, Dec. 2008

• First year taught element – Composites MSc

• Director: Paul Weaver

• Currently 48 PhD students

• Strong industrial engagement – Agusta Westland, Airbus UK, dstl, GE

Aviation, Haydale, Rolls-Royce and Vestas

• Collaborations – Imperial, Nottingham, Manchester,

Cambridge

• Significant number of patents and papers

Opportunities for collaboration

•Extended Projects – fully funded • Call for proposals April 2013

•PhD Projects – CASE top-up • Call for proposals Sept. 2013

EPSRC Industrial Doctorate Centre

• £3.9M awarded to Bristol in May 2012

• Specifically for Composites Manufacture

• Managed under the EPSRC Centre

• Linked to NCC

• Director is Prof. Ivana Partridge

• 30+ four year EngDs

• Company based projects

• TRL 3 to 5

• Started in October 2012

• Open to project proposals at any time

Bristol Centre for Nanoscience

• Very low noise, vibration, EM shielding, temperature control

• One of the lowest vibration facilities in the world

• Preparation rooms, wet lab, clean rooms

• Facilities in use for ACCIS nanocomposites work

National Composites Centre

• An independent, open-access National Centre to deliver world-class innovation in the design and rapid manufacture of composites that will enable widespread industrial exploitation.

• Purpose built 8500m2 facility on the Science Park, opened May 2011

• NCC Phase II (£28M), further 6000m2, to open Spring 2014

• ACCIS research interchange with NCC on variety of projects

ACCIS and the NCC

• ACCIS will remain on UoB campus

• Principal focus is TRL 1-3

• Close links via:

– Hot desks

– Exchange of staff

– Use of facilities

– Joint programmes

– Events, seminars

• NCC focus on TRL 4-6, will provide a focus for new research problems and applications

DISCOVERY

TRL 1-3

DEMONSTRATION

TRL 4-6

APPLICATION

TRL 7+

NCC

Opportunities for Engagement

• Academic and industrial collaborations, secondments

• Major new research programmes through TSB, MoD, EPSRC and FP7 initiatives

• Exciting opportunities for blue skies PhDs and initial studies via DTC or undergraduate projects

• Projects in EngD centre in composites manufacture

• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

• Collaborations through the National Composites Centre