Smart Materials

We need to rethink the structure and composition of road materials to embed functionalities and sensory capabilities for engineering and environmental performance efficiency and connectivity to the physical process (WP4) and Digital product (WP1).

The work will capitalise on recent advances at UOC in nanotechnology and composites, self-healing and self-sensing materials, sensor technologies and novel low carbon material and product technologies. This could include embedding digital components and developing new or tailored materials, additives, coatings and smart interfaces for information-exchange, such as carbon nanomaterials, functionalised materials, carbon fibre composites, meshes, mats and textiles, conductive fillers and coatings, flexible electronics, communication joints and smart sensors.

The resulting data will be interrogated and optimised for their physical and digital value. The work will enable road assets to become proactive in sensing, diagnosing, monitoring, and protecting their own state of health and digitised in communicating their position, condition, and state of repair.

It will utilise and integrate with the sensor mechanisms and modalities in WP4 and capitalise on COS and UOC research and applications to provide the linkage to WP3 to enable the development of predictive engines for better decision making. The outcome will be a suite of materials, components and/or devices with potential for exploitation and commercialisation by COS and integration with their smart transport technologies. The first year will determine the critical path activities and as a result, non-critical path activities will be allocated to the PhD students who will subsequently start in year 2.