Who am I? Head of Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham - - PDF document

1 PhD’s and Industry – a personal view

Chris Baker School of Engineering, University of Birmingham

Who am I?

Head of Civil Engineering at the University of

Birmingham

Director of Birmingham Railway Research Centre, Director of Rail Research UK Council member of EURNEX Dual role

– As a “producer” of PhD’s – As a “employer” of PhD’s

Outline of talk

The Birmingham Railway Research Centre Rail Research UK and EURNEX What does industry require of PhD graduates? Different models of PhD study Models for industrial involvement in PhD study Conclusions

The Railway Research Centre at the University of Birmingham

Multi-disciplinary centre with staff from a number of

Schools

Around 20 full time academic staff involved in railway

research

Around 20 post doctoral (or equivalent) researchers Around 20 PhD students

2 Railway Research Centre

Environmental effects

– Aerodynamics of trains – Pollution dispersal – Effects of climate on railway operations

Geotechnics

– Deep stabilisation of track and embankments, – Trenchless technology. – Monitoring of railway tunnels – High speed trains on soft ground. – Stabilisation of track – Geotechnical engineering.

Railway Research Centre

Motive power

– Energy consumption – Traction drives – Power futures

Asset Management

– Asset management systems – Infrastructure performance modelling. – Condition monitoring

Signalling

– Multi-train simulators – Signalling design – EMC

Railway Research Centre

Systems Engineering

– Railway systems engineering and systems integration.

Risk Management

– Safety risk and reliability assessment – Modelling and tools – Safety cases

Metallurgy

– Metallurgy of rails.

3 Rail Research UK Background

Concerns about:

Fragmented university research Loss of knowledge Need for multidisciplinary research

Led to RRUK:

Consortium of 13 groups at 9 universities (Birmingham,

Southampton, Loughborough, Manchester Met, Imperial College, Nottingham, Newcastle, Leeds)

Aims to provide a stable research base Share knowledge and make it available

Rail Research UK

’To support the UK railway industry by providing a focal point for university based world-class research’

Mission Statement

Rail Research UK

Core funding £7M over 7 years from EPSRC (RRUK1 -2003-2006;

RRUK2 2006-2010)

A range of disciplines from engineering to economics, human

factors to transport

Bringing together existing skills but retaining geographic diversity Creating the capability for a ‘Systems’ approach ‘One stop shop’ for information and support

4 Rail Research UK

Creation of 3 theme networks Research projects using joint teams Maximise information on website Links to other industry groups – AGRRI

Rail Research UK

Headquarters at Birmingham and Southampton Centre Management Team (Director, PI, Theme

Managers, Admin staff - meets quarterly)

Council (all research group leaders) Industry based Advisory Board

Rail Research UK

Theme A: Engineering Interfaces Research Focus

• Appraisal of track / sub-base performance using modern

instrumentation and geotechnical engineering principles

• Predicting the life of various steel railway track
• Railway noise: curve squeal, roughness growth, friction and wear
• Train dynamic and aerodynamic modelling

Rail Research UK

Theme B: Whole System Performance Research Focus

• The influence of human behaviour on system performance
• Strategies for high-level traffic management
• Development of a system-level cost framework for the assessment
• f trade-offs between sub-systems

5

Rail Research UK

Theme C: Users, Community and Environment Research Focus

• Understanding and enhancing passenger and driver comfort and

activities

• Understanding and forecasting demand
• Access and interchange for seamless journeys (freight and

passenger)

• New integrated service concepts / comms technologies
• The future of rail in a changing transport environment
• Optimising options for prioritisation of eng. actions from the user’s

point of view

EURNEX

European Rail Research Network of Excellence

Framework 6 Programme Over 60 universities and 600 research staff 7 Regional groups:

UK+Benelux Germany, Austria France Italy, Greece Iberia Nordic and East Europe

Supported by industry groups UIC, UNIFE, UITP

EURNEX

European Rail Research Network of Excellence

EURNEX is establishing 10 poles

Strategy and economics Operation and system performance Rolling stock and traction Product qualification Intelligent mobility Safety and security Environment Infrastructure and signalling Human factors Training and education

6 What does industry require of PhD graduates?

A personal view as Director of the Railway Centre –

what do I require of PhDs to work in the centre?

Most contracts from the railway industry are between

3 and 6 months in length

Some longer term EU and Government funded

projects

Wide range of subject matter – inter – and multi-

disciplinary

What does railway industry require

• f PhD graduates?

Proven intellectual rigour A need for a minority of technical specialists – eg

aerodynamics

Much greater need for high level flexible staff who

can work on a variety of projects – eg at a system based level

Need for high level computational, communication

and presentation skills

Knowledge of railway industry a great asset

Different models of PhD study

Different study modes

– With taught material – Without taught material

Different examination modes

– Public defence after consultation with examiners – Adverserial viva

Different thesis styles

– Dissertation – Published papers

Models for industrial involvement in PhD study

Low level involvement

– Definition of project area and provision of data

Medium level involvement

– Definition and direction of project – Financial support for student

High level involvement

– Research carried out in industrial context with industrial supervision

7 Examples of PhD study

Analysis of unsteady crosswind forces on train Train slipstreams and wakes Large eddy simulation of flow around trains

Analysis of unsteady crosswind forces on train

Study involved the analysis of data from full scale

wind loading measurements on trains and development of new model for overturning risk

Self funded PhD student, based at UOB on PhD

course with no taught material

Minor involvement with railway industry Thesis and viva due in next two months

Full scale measurements

8

Development of risk prediction model

Wind speed relative to train 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 500 1000 1500 2000 t(s) wind speed (m/s)

Advantages and disadvantages

High level of specialist knowledge – project carried

• ut with analytical rigour

Little broader knowledge No great development of communication and

presentation skills (small number of seminars and conferences)

Very limited knowledge of the railway industry Employers will need to invest in further training and

short term effectiveness will be reduced

Train slipstreams and wakes

Study involved the analysis of data from full scale

wind slipstream measurements and development of an analytical model on the effects of slipstreams on people

No taught material Project carried out with Railway Safety and

Standards Board

Financial support to student Significant industry involvement Thesis and viva due in next year

9 The effect of train slipstreams Wind tunnel experiments and analysis

P1(t)

z

≈

P2(t) P3(t) m1 m2 m3 k1 k2 k3

Advantages and disadvantages

Specialist knowledge gained from working in a team

– not always easy to distinguish students contributions

Some broader knowledge of the railway industry Good development of communication and

presentation skills through regular reporting and project presentations

Production of dissertation a valuable exercise Could be useful within industrial context with

relatively small amount of extra training

Large eddy simulation of flow around trains

Study involved the use of large eddy simulation to

model the flow around trains in a variety of situations

Carried out in an industrial context with student being

employed

Project were specified by students employer Academic supervision provided by local University Thesis based on published papers

10 Large eddy simulation around trains Advantages and disadvantages

Potential conflicts in requirements of employer and

need for academic rigour

Potential conflicts in allowing time for full analysis and

writing up of results

Excellent knowledge of the railway industry Excellent communication and presentation skills

through regular reporting and project presentations

Production of papers exposes students to external

views

High level of employability within the railway industry

Conclusions

For maximising the benefits of PhD graduates to

industry sensitive industrial involvement in PhD programmes are required

More emphasis needs to be given to the

development of communication and presentation skills

Much greater use of wide ranging taught courses

(business skills, knowledge transfer skills etc) could be of benefit (EngD model)

Industrial and international placements would be of

significant benefit