Dynamics, Control, and Vehicle Research Group

Welcome to the Dynamics, Control and Vehicle Research Group

The Dynamics, Control, and Vehicle (DCV) research group is internationally known for its high quality automotive research and fundamental work in dynamics and control.

Our research sponsors and industrial partners are the EPSRC, the EU, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Ricardo, DENSO, MIRA, and the Hadley Group.

Facilities include four fully-functioning engine test-beds; a full range of emissions measuring equipment; engine calibration and control tools, laser-based vibration measurement hardware, and a suite of computer workstations.

Dynamics

Modelling and Computation; Nonlinear Dynamics; Structural Dynamics; Uncertain Structures; System Identification; Rotor dynamics;

Control

Modelling and Simulation; Optimal control; Estimation;  Intelligent control;  Fault-tolerant control;  Robust Multivariable Control; Nonlinear control; Model Reduction Techniques; Reliability; Applications of Advanced Control to Transportation and Energy;  Condition Monitoring;  Emerging Control applications.

Vehicles

The current research focus is directed towards CO2 reduction in transport through: i) improvements in energy conversion efficiency in both IC and jet engines, ii) through ‘light-weighting’, and iii) through drag-reduction technologies via CFD. For the DCV Subgroup, this means reducing vehicle CO2 emissions by improving powertrain and vehicle efficiencies, particularly of IC engines in conventional and hybrid electric vehicles; by better understanding of vehicle-body and engine vibration characteristics and noise emissions, to allow weight reduction; and by improving the ability to simulate realistic turbulent flows.

Impact

Climate-change is the most pressing transport issue. Vehicle fleet-average CO2 emissions in the EU are still substantially higher than the legally-binding fleet-average target of 95 gm/km introduced in 2020, and will need to be much lower still within the period 2025 - 2040. The DCV Subgroup is meeting these challenges through better design, modelling, computation, and control.

Details of our research projects.