Response Functions in Automotive Vehicles

A fully funded 3.5 year PhD studentship is available for candidates who have an interest in sound, vibration or dynamics in automotive applications as part of the “Programme for Simulation Innovation”, a large research programme in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover involving departments at Loughborough, Cambridge, Leeds and Warwick universities.

The proposed starting dates for the project are 1^st October 2013 or 1^st January 2014. The 3.5-year studentship has a stipend of up to £16,000 per annum tax free and also covers tuition fees.

You will be working as part of a large group developing simulation capabilities that will deliver robust design within the automotive product development process, with other students looking at tyre mechanics, low cycle fatigue, experimental and computation fluid flows and engine modelling. Additional funding will support participation in conferences, workshops, and research visits to project partners.

When designing an automotive vehicle, considerable effort is put into achieving a low noise and vibration interior for the driver and passengers. This design is carried out by Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) engineers, as low noise and vibration are key components of a luxury or quality product. In order to characterise the level of vibration in the vehicle, frequency response functions (FRF’s) are either experimentally determined or simulated using numeric tools.

The vibration felt by the driver is the result of many FRF sources, from engine, drive-train, tyres and exhaust, with individual magnitude and phase relations covering a wide frequency range. Combining all of these provides an indication of the amplitude of vibration or noise which can be expected and can provide indications of where design changes are required.

In attempting to move away from experimentation to a greater reliance on simulation in design, it is necessary to understand how the magnitude and phase change for different components, especially given manufacturing variability and how measures can be introduced to indicate in which frequency ranges or spaces the design can be reliably optimised.

The aim of this project is to investigate and provide understanding of how factors influence the phase relations in FRFs, and how using simulation in design can replicate these, thus, minimising errors and avoiding costly rework. It is likely that this project will require a combination of mathematical modelling, experimentation and numerical simulation, for example through finite element analysis or Matlab programming.

Due to funding restrictions applications are open to EU and UK nationals only. The candidates must be expecting, or have already obtained, a first degree (1^st class, 2:1 honours or equivalent) in engineering, physics or mathematical sciences. Good communication skills are essential and an interest in sound / vibration would be an advantage.

If you are interested in the above project and require further information please contact Dr Dan O’Boy, D.J.OBoy@Lboro.ac.uk or Dr Stephen Walsh, S.J.Walsh@Lboro.ac.uk. Further details are available at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/aae/research/opportunities/PSI-opportunities.html.

Online applications can be directed through the university website by clicking the Apply link below

The closing date for applications is 30 August 2013.