Residual Stress & Damage Characterisation: Extending Across Length & Time Scales

在现有的平台拨款下，应力与损伤表征单位(USDC)已成为世界领先的卓越中心。平台赠款资金是维持和发展我们的测量和成像能力的一个重要方面。在平台资助开始的4年里，它支持并帮助我们赢得了80项研究资助，其中包括29项研究理事会(8,519k)，32项行业(4,983k)，以及20项其他(3,343项)赠款，取决于该股的设施和工作人员。这一资金组合使我们能够开发出稳定的研发基础设施，类似于大型设施中仪器科学家的角色。我们的博士后研究员主要由补助金收入支持，但平台赠款资金确保了任用的连续性。此外，它还使他们能够遵循一项混合的计划，包括：a)在世界级期刊上撰写的世界级实验(在3.5年内发表170篇论文，以及类似数量的会议记录)；b)冒险或推测性的概念研究证明，通常会导致后续资金；c)与其他英国和国际学者合作，提供他们在所在机构无法获得的新见解；d)访问国外，与吸引到联合国的访客一起工作。这种环境一直是培训和发展独立研究人员的非常成功的温床。它的PDRA中有6个已经成为正式讲师；5个已经在国际大型设施中担任仪器科学家的职位。目前的提议将使USDC通过发展能力来加强其地位，从而承担世界领先的实验。这一数字为170万个月和156个人月，约占联检组活动资金的10%，占其工作人员的15%。我们支持高水平的持续支持，事实上，我们现有的投资组合一直持续到这项资助的期间(参见我们的人力资源说明表)。特别是，这项资助将使我们能够：a)将我们的测量能力扩展到现有的时间和长度尺度限制之外，以实现广泛的开创性原位和异地研究；b)进行腐蚀、裂缝和失效过程的现场研究；c)研究复合材料和建筑固体中结构和性能之间的关系；D)观察功能“智能”材料的转变过程。这些领域的研究是及时的，因为这些材料制造的发展与测量和成像能力的发展相匹配。

Under the existing Platform grant, the Unit for Stress & Damage Characterisation (USDC) has become a world-leading centre for excellence. Platform grant funding was an essential aspect in maintaining and developing our measurement and imaging capability. Over the 4 years since the Platform grant begun it has supported and helped us win 80 research grants including 29 Research Council (8,519k), 32 industry (4,983k), and 20 other (3,343) grants dependent on the Unit's facilities and staff. This portfolio of funding has enabled us to develop a stable research and development infrastructure analogous to the instrument scientist roles at large-scale facilities. Our post-doctoral fellows have been predominantly supported on grant income but Platform grant funding has ensured continuity of appointment. Further it has enabled them to follow a mixed programme comprising: a) world class experiments written up in world class journals (170 papers in the 3.5 years in addition to a similar number of conference proceedings); b) adventurous or speculative proof of concept studies often leading to follow-on funding; c) collaborations with other UK and international academics to provide new insights not available to them at their host institutes; d) visits abroad and work with visitors attracted to the Unit.This environment has been a very successful breeding ground for training and developing independent researchers. Six of its PDRAs have gone on to full lectureships; five have taken up instrument scientist posts at international large-scale facilities.The current proposal will allow the USDC to strengthen its position by developing capability and to thereby undertake world-leading experiments. At 1.7M and 156 man months it represents some 10% of the funding of the Units activities and 15% of its workforce. We anticiapte a high level of continutuity of support, indeed our existing portfolio reaches well into the period of this grant (see our man power chart in the justification of resources).In particular the grant will enable us to:a) extend our measurement capability beyond existing time and length scale confines to enable a wide range of ground breaking in situ and ex situ studies;b) undertake in situ studies of corrosion, cracks and failure processes;c) study the relationships between structure and properties in composites and architectured solids;d) observe transition processes in functional 'Smart' materials.Research in these areas is timely as the developments in fabrication of these materials are matched by developments in the measurement and imaging capabilities.