PhD Studentship: Tyre friction modelling and testing
Application details:
Reference number: AAE-GM-1405
Start date of studentship: 01 Oct 2021
Closing date of advert: 18 Jun 2021
Interview date: 09 Jul 2021
Supervisors:
Primary supervisor: Dr Georgios Mavros
Secondary supervisor: Dr James Knowles
This is a collaborative project with a top motorsport partner. The successful candidate will benefit from:
· Developing transferrable analytical/simulation/experimental skills
· Working with world-leading experts from academia and industry
· Working on a project with important practical applications
· Attending conferences/partner meetings and developing a strong network of academic and industrial contacts
Loughborough University is a top-ten rated university in England for research intensity (REF2014). In choosing Loughborough for your research, you ’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Doctoral College, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.
Find out more: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/
The PhD project will be carried out at the Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering department at Loughborough University. The department’s research grants and contracts income is currently around £5 million per annum, and this supports a research community of nearly fifty post-doctoral research associates, seventy research students and several technical and administrative staff. In both research and teaching, the Department enjoys strong industrial links that support research sponsorship and collaboration, student placement and graduate employment.
For more details visit: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/aae/
Full Project Detail:
Tyre-road friction determines the capability of a tyre to generate forces on any terrain – an attribute particularly important in the context of motorsport. Friction is typically treated empirically, based on an experimentally obtained coefficient of friction. This approach, however, often fails to accurately predict friction when operating conditions deviate from measured conditions, leading to inaccuracies in estimations of grip and, as a result, to sub-optimal performance in the context of motorsport racing. There is therefore a need to develop accurate physics-based models of tyre friction.
Recent work at Loughborough has discovered that current state-of-the-art tyre friction modelling approaches provide friction estimations that are highly sensitive to uncertainties in model inputs, such as road surface roughness. The PhD project aims to further develop the theoretical framework for predicting rubber friction in the context of tyre performance, explore the use of track data and machine learning for predicting friction, and validate these developments using a friction test rig developed at Loughborough University as part of previous work.
Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or a related subject. A relevant master’s degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage: modelling of dynamic systems, programming (MATLAB, Python, C++ or similar).
Funding information:
This PhD opportunity is jointly funded by Loughborough University and an industrial partner. The studentship covers the PhD fees and a stipend for 3 years for UK students. This PhD includes an annual stipend of £15,609. International (including EU) students may apply, however the total value of the studentship will cover the international tuition fee only.
Contact details:
Name: Dr Georgios Mavros
Email address: [Email Address Removed]
Telephone number: +44 (0)1509 227237
How to apply:
All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering
Please quote reference number: AAE-GM-1405
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