Towards Affordable, Closed-Loop Recyclable Future Low Carbon Vehicle Structures - TARF-LCV
Lead Research Organisation:
Brunel University London
Department Name: Mech. Engineering, Aerospace & Civil Eng
Abstract
The UK automotive industry is a large and critical sector within the UK economy. It accounts for 820,000 jobs, exports finished goods worth £8.9bn annually and adds value of £10bn to the UK economy each year. However, the UK automotive industry is currently facing great challenges, such as responsibility for a 19% and growing share of UK annual CO2 emissions, strong international competition, declining employment and hollowing-out of the domestic supply chain, and enormous pressure from regulatory bodies for decarbonisation. A solution to these challenges comes from the development and manufacture of low carbon vehicles (LCVs), as identified by the UK government. Vehicle lightweighting is the most effective way to improve fuel economy and to reduce CO2 emissions. This has been demonstrated by many vehicle mass reduction programmes worldwide. Historically vehicle mass reduction has been achieved incrementally by reducing the mass of specific vehicle parts piece-by-piece, with little consideration of the carbon footprint of input materials and closed-loop recycling of end of life vehicles (ELVs). Our vision is that the future low carbon vehicle is achieved by a combination of multi-material concepts with mass-optimised design approaches through the deployment of advanced low carbon input materials, efficient low carbon manufacturing processes and closed-loop recycling of ELVs. To achieve this vision, we have gathered the best UK academic brainpower for vehicle lightweighting and formed the TARF-LCV consortium, whose members include 8 research teams involving 18 academics from Brunel, Coventry, Exeter, Imperial, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford Brookes and Strathclyde. TARF-LCV aims to deliver fundamental solutions to the key challenges faced by future development of LCVs in the strategic areas of advanced materials, enabling manufacturing technologies, holistic vehicle design and closed-loop recycling of ELVs. We have developed a coherent research programme organised in 6 work packages. We will develop closed-loop recyclable aluminium (Al) and magnesium (Mg) alloys, metal matrix composites (MMCs) and recyclable polymer matrix composites (PMCs) for body structure and powertrain applications; we will develop advanced low carbon manufacturing technologies for casting, forming and effective vehicle assembly and disassembly; and we will develop mass-optimised design principles and specific life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology for future LCV development. To deliver the 4-year TARF-LCV programme, in addition to the EPSRC funding requested, we have leveraged financial support for 2 post-doctoral research fellows from the EPSRC Centre-LiME at Brunel University and LATEST2 at Manchester University, and for 9 PhD studentships from partner universities. Consequently, the TARF-LCV research team will include 18 academics, 11 post-doctoral research fellows and 18 research students. This not only ensures a successful delivery of the TARF-LCV research programme, but also provides a training ground for the future leaders of low carbon vehicle development in the UK.
Planned Impact
The expected scientific deliverables from the TARF-LCV programme include increased understanding of nucleation and nucleation control, a new approach to alloy development for closed-loop recycling, new approaches to recycling of polymer composites and mass-optimised vehicle design principles. The technological deliverables include a novel technology for liquid metal treatment, advanced manufacturing technologies for casting, forming and active joining of vehicle components/systems and a holistic approach to closed-loop recycling of end of life vehicles.
One of the immediate beneficiaries is the academic community. Such research outputs represent major advances in solidification science, physical metallurgy, composite science, surface and interface engineering, vehicle design and environmental science. They will not only advance substantially our knowledge in the relevant scientific disciplines, but will also inspire researchers in other relevant scientific and engineering fields to make further scientific advances, since most of our research outputs are generic and applicable to other disciplines. In addition the new technologies are all enabling technologies, which can be used as tools for researchers to make further technological advances.
The other immediate beneficiary is the UK automotive industry. It will benefit from: (1) the holistic approach to mass reduction of vehicle structures to speed up vehicle model development; (2) advanced manufacturing technologies to provide technological advantages over its competitors; (3) high performance automotive materials with a reduced cost; and (4) improved sustainability due to reduced CO2 emission, conservation of natural resources and consequently reduced environmental impact.
One of the important beneficiaries is the team of researchers working on TARF-LCV. There will be over 30 researchers (young academics, research fellows and research students) being trained within the programme. They will gain scientific knowledge and the necessary skills required for the future of low carbon vehicle development. Some of them will become the future leaders of academic research, technological development and industrial R&D. This in turn will be extremely beneficial to sustainable development of low carbon vehicles in the UK.
Another beneficiary will be the UK economy. With further development, the advanced automotive materials with fully closed-loop recyclability and the novel low carbon manufacturing technologies will generate new business opportunities for the automotive supply chain in the UK. This on one hand mitigates the current hollowing-out of the UK automotive supply chain, and on the other hand creates jobs and increases manufacturing output for export. The strengthened UK supply chain will in turn increase the competitiveness of the UK automotive OEMs. The expected overall economic benefit to the UK economy cannot be overstated.
The expected environmental benefit is multidimensional. The TARF-LCV programme will contribute directly to successful development of low carbon vehicles in the UK. This will not only reduce substantially the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuel and CO2 emission from road transport, but also conserve precious natural resources through reduced usage, reuse, remanufacture and closed-loop recycling of end of life vehicles, and substantially reduce waste sent to land fill. The ultimate consequence of all these is a significant reduction of environmental impact from the automotive industry and improved sustainability of the UK economy.
The ultimate beneficiary will be society as a whole. Society will benefit from improved air quality through reduced pollution related health problems, increased job opportunities, cleaner and more efficient transport systems, improved national economy, and consequently improved quality of life.
One of the immediate beneficiaries is the academic community. Such research outputs represent major advances in solidification science, physical metallurgy, composite science, surface and interface engineering, vehicle design and environmental science. They will not only advance substantially our knowledge in the relevant scientific disciplines, but will also inspire researchers in other relevant scientific and engineering fields to make further scientific advances, since most of our research outputs are generic and applicable to other disciplines. In addition the new technologies are all enabling technologies, which can be used as tools for researchers to make further technological advances.
The other immediate beneficiary is the UK automotive industry. It will benefit from: (1) the holistic approach to mass reduction of vehicle structures to speed up vehicle model development; (2) advanced manufacturing technologies to provide technological advantages over its competitors; (3) high performance automotive materials with a reduced cost; and (4) improved sustainability due to reduced CO2 emission, conservation of natural resources and consequently reduced environmental impact.
One of the important beneficiaries is the team of researchers working on TARF-LCV. There will be over 30 researchers (young academics, research fellows and research students) being trained within the programme. They will gain scientific knowledge and the necessary skills required for the future of low carbon vehicle development. Some of them will become the future leaders of academic research, technological development and industrial R&D. This in turn will be extremely beneficial to sustainable development of low carbon vehicles in the UK.
Another beneficiary will be the UK economy. With further development, the advanced automotive materials with fully closed-loop recyclability and the novel low carbon manufacturing technologies will generate new business opportunities for the automotive supply chain in the UK. This on one hand mitigates the current hollowing-out of the UK automotive supply chain, and on the other hand creates jobs and increases manufacturing output for export. The strengthened UK supply chain will in turn increase the competitiveness of the UK automotive OEMs. The expected overall economic benefit to the UK economy cannot be overstated.
The expected environmental benefit is multidimensional. The TARF-LCV programme will contribute directly to successful development of low carbon vehicles in the UK. This will not only reduce substantially the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuel and CO2 emission from road transport, but also conserve precious natural resources through reduced usage, reuse, remanufacture and closed-loop recycling of end of life vehicles, and substantially reduce waste sent to land fill. The ultimate consequence of all these is a significant reduction of environmental impact from the automotive industry and improved sustainability of the UK economy.
The ultimate beneficiary will be society as a whole. Society will benefit from improved air quality through reduced pollution related health problems, increased job opportunities, cleaner and more efficient transport systems, improved national economy, and consequently improved quality of life.
Organisations
Publications
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Influence of vehicle secondary impact following an emergency braking on an unbelted occupant's neck, head and thorax injuries
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Lightweight Body in White design using topology-, shape- and size optimisation
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Bayandorian I
(2011)
The Impact of Melt-Conditioned Twin-Roll Casting on the Downstream Processing of an AZ31 Magnesium Alloy
in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A
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Magnesium Technology 2012
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Economical carbon and cellulosic sheet moulding compounds for semi- and non-structural applications
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The usability of recycled carbon fibres in short fibre thermoplastics: interfacial properties
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Christensen J
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Buckling considerations and cross-sectional geometry development for topology optimised body in white
in International Journal of Crashworthiness
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Effects of roof crush loading scenario upon body in white using topology optimisation
in International Journal of Crashworthiness
Das S
(2015)
Effect of melt conditioning on heat treatment and mechanical properties of AZ31 alloy strips produced by twin roll casting
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Das S
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Melt Conditioned Twin Roll Casting (MC-TRC) of Thin Mg-Alloy Strips for Direct Stamping of Mg Components
in Materials Science Forum
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(2015)
Influence of intensive melt shearing on subsequent hot rolling and the mechanical properties of twin roll cast AZ31 strips
in Materials Letters
Das S
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Solidification Mechanism of the Melt Conditioned Twin Roll Cast Magnesium Alloy
in Materials Science Forum
El Fakir O
(2014)
Numerical study of the solution heat treatment, forming, and in-die quenching (HFQ) process on AA5754
in International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture
El Fakir O
(2013)
Numerical Investigation on the Hot Forming and Cold-Die Quenching of an Aluminium-Magnesium Alloy into a Complex Component
in Materials Science Forum
El Fakir O
(2014)
Solution Heat Treatment, Forming and In-Die Quenching of a Commercial Sheet Magnesium Alloy into a Complex-Shaped Component: Experimentation and FE Simulation
in Key Engineering Materials
Fakir O
(2014)
Predicting Effect of Temperature, Strain Rate and Strain Path Changes on Forming Limit of Lightweight Sheet Metal Alloys
in Procedia Engineering
Gu Y
(2020)
Comparative studies of grain refinement of commercial purity Mg by CaO and Ca addition
in International Journal of Cast Metals Research
Harper L
(2017)
Long discontinuous carbon fibre/polypropylene composites for high volume structural applications
in Journal of Composite Materials
Hsieh T.H.
(2013)
The toughness of epoxy polymers and fibre composites modified with rubber microparticles and silica nanoparticles
in ICCM International Conferences on Composite Materials
Hutchinson A
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Overview of disbonding technologies for adhesive bonded joints
in The Journal of Adhesion
Jenkins P
(2014)
Investigation of the strength loss of glass fibre after thermal conditioning
in Journal of Materials Science
Jenkins P
(2019)
Investigation of Chemical and Physical Surface Changes of Thermally Conditioned Glass Fibres
in Fibers
Jenkins P
(2019)
Investigation of Atmospheric Moisture during Heat Treatment of Glass Fibres
in Fibers
Ji S
(2013)
Light Metals 2013
Description | We have developed three new alloys for industry. One of them is already in application and we found new evidence to explain the grain refinement mechanism. At Manchester University, they found corrosion resistance of aluminium and magnesium alloys with trace amounts of impurity. |
Exploitation Route | With recent success of the EPSRC Future LiME Hub we have a strong consortium involved. Industrial, academics and university provide a strong supply chain in automotive industry. This is a good channel for industrial application of new technologies. There are many other activites involved in the universities of the project partners so they can take the findings forward. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Transport |
Description | specially for automotive industry with light weighting materials and manufacturing technologies including new metallic alloys and new polymer matrix composites. the project also working on the design of new cars for next generation with new material and new concept |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Transport |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | "Grain refiner technology" for lightweight magnesium alloys - iCURE |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | (LEVEL-UP) - Protocols and Strategies for extending the useful Life of major capital investments and Large Industrial Equipment |
Amount | € 17,039,855 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 869991 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | (LightMe) - An Open Innovation Ecosystem for upscaling production processes of lightweight metal alloys composites |
Amount | € 12,943,298 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 814552 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 12/2022 |
Description | Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Wave 7: RACEForm |
Amount | £860,028 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 113153 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2017 |
End | 04/2020 |
Description | Advanced Propulsion Centre 6 - CHAMELEON |
Amount | £558,595 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2017 |
End | 05/2019 |
Description | Alliance Casting European Development Centre (ACE-DC) |
Amount | £781,245 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 113116 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2017 |
End | 11/2020 |
Description | Aluminium Alloy Development using TRC |
Amount | £15,947 (GBP) |
Organisation | Mahle Engine Systems UK Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2019 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | Aluminium Intensive Vehicle Enclosure (ALIVE) |
Amount | £1,261,460 (GBP) |
Organisation | Advanced Propulsion Centre |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2020 |
End | 08/2023 |
Description | Aluminium Reduced Cost Hybrid Parts (ARCH) |
Amount | £277,914 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 104418 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2018 |
End | 02/2021 |
Description | Aluminium for Ultra Low Emission Vehicles |
Amount | £752,451 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 104324 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2018 |
End | 06/2020 |
Description | Constellium - Development of Heat Treatable Ultra-High Strength Al Alloys for Automotive Application - iCASE Studentship David Makuyana |
Amount | £27,800 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 02/2018 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | Constellium - Novel processing of 6xxx alloys for automotive applications - iCASE Studentship Chrysoula Tzileroglou |
Amount | £27,800 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2022 |
Description | EPSRC - Development of Heat Treatable Ultra-High Strength Al Alloys for Automotive Application - iCASE Studentship David Makuyana |
Amount | £83,296 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2043889 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2018 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | EPSRC - iCASE Studentship - Hamza Youssef |
Amount | £81,430 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | EPSRC-Towards affordable closed loop recyclable future low carbon vehicles (TARF-LCV) |
Amount | £4,200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I038616/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2011 |
End | 05/2016 |
Description | Fundamental study of the TiB2 -a Al nucleation process |
Amount | £356,395 (GBP) |
Organisation | MQP Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2021 |
Description | Future Metallurgy Centre |
Amount | £16,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Future Metallurgy Centre |
Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
Department | Research England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | High Performance Magnesium cylinder |
Amount | £205,965 (GBP) |
Funding ID | HPMaC |
Organisation | Husqvarna Group |
Sector | Private |
Country | Sweden |
Start | 05/2020 |
End | 05/2021 |
Description | High Strength and ductile aluminium castings for hybrid chassis structure (SADAC) |
Amount | £368,289 (GBP) |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2018 |
End | 01/2021 |
Description | ICASE Studentship - V de Stefano |
Amount | £27,765 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 02/2019 |
End | 01/2023 |
Description | Integrated Computational Process Engineering with focus on Aluminium Extrusion - student Ross Jarrett |
Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Department | Constellium UK Ltd |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | Integrated Computational Process Engineering with focus on Aluminium Extrusion - student Ross Jarrett EPSRC iCASE sub code |
Amount | £83,296 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 04/2022 |
Description | JLR - iCASE Studentship - Hamza Youssef |
Amount | £42,840 (GBP) |
Organisation | Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC |
Department | Jaguar Land Rover |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | JLR iCase Studentship - LUKE DORAN |
Amount | £42,840 (GBP) |
Funding ID | icase 18000094 |
Organisation | Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC |
Department | Jaguar Land Rover |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | Lightweight Innovative Battery Enclosures using Recycled Aluminium TEchnologies |
Amount | £375,762 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 28979 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2019 |
End | 06/2021 |
Description | Machine learning guided alloy design and thermomechanical process optimisation for high performance automotive aluminium alloys |
Amount | £27,765 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | Microstructural control during Melt Conditioned DC (MCDC) casting process |
Amount | £27,765 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | Next generation of free machining aluminium alloys |
Amount | £27,765 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | STEP Aluminium 2018 (STEP AL) |
Amount | £2,198,606 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2018 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | Strain Enhanced Precipitation (STEP) |
Amount | £2,219,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 12/2018 |
End | 11/2023 |
Description | Synergetic effect of surface-active metallic additions on structure modification in aluminium alloys |
Amount | £27,765 (GBP) |
Organisation | Constellium |
Sector | Private |
Country | France |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for CircularMetal |
Amount | £4,437,439 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/V011804/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2021 |
End | 12/2024 |
Title | Automatic Generation of Optimised Vehicle Body in White Architecture from a Styling Envelope |
Description | Computer code |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Automatic generation of tubular sections within a vehicle topology |
Title | Cross Sectional Geometry Development for topology optimised BIW |
Description | Computer code |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Automatic generation of Sheet metal section from a vehicle Topology |
Title | Pamstamp FE Package |
Description | Pamstamp FE Package |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Simulate the Forming process |
Title | TARF vehicle Model |
Description | Computer Model/Algorithm |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2012 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This model is used to implement TARF technologies developed by the consortium members. The model is also designed to meet the project requirement of Impact simulations |
Title | Pamstamp FE Package |
Description | Simulate the Forming process |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2012 |
Impact | High Impact |
Description | TARF-LCV Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Improved data exchange, Data dissimination to Consortium and Industrial Partners Collaboration with consortium partners of specific areas of the TARF-LCV vehicle platform |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |