Log in
From 1995 Professor Munjiza's research at QMUL has led to the development of a series of algorithms which can predict the movement and relationship between objects. These algorithms have been commercialised by a range of international engineering and software companies including Orica, the world's leading blasting systems provider (via their MBM software package), and the software modelling company, Dassault Systems (via their Abaqus software). Through these commercialisation routes Munjiza's work has generated significant economic impact which is global in nature. For example, his predictive algorithms have enabled safer, more productive blast mining for Orica's clients — in one mine alone, software based on Munjiza's modelling approach has meant a 10% increase in productivity, a 7% reduction in costs and an annual saving of $2.8 million. It has also been used in Dassault Systems' Abaqus modelling software, which is the world's leading generic simulation software used to solve a wide variety of industrial problems across the defence, automobile, construction, aerospace and chemicals sectors with associated economic impact.
Research at Swansea University in the area of computational electromagnetics has led to better design of aircraft with respect to radar detection and the screening of internal systems from the effect of unwanted electromagnetic field ingress. A key issue was the development of an ability to accommodate electromagnetically large complex bodies having spatially small, but electromagnetically important, features. In addition, procedures for modelling RF threats, including lightning strikes and electromagnetic hazards, were also developed. Such progress has enabled significant improvement in electromagnetic performance of technology produced by BAE Systems reaching across its Advanced Technology Centre and its business units (Military Aircraft and Information, and Naval Ships). This research enabled two-orders-of-magnitude improvement in efficiency of BAE software compared to previously used techniques, significantly reducing design time. These developments were used on major international programmes such as TYPHOON, the Taranis UCAV (unmanned Combat Air Vehicle).
This case study describes the creation and use of advanced simulation technology by international mining corporations to optimise high value metal recovery. The technology involved the development of advanced novel computational methods and software tools to model industrial scale heap leach processes for large scale industrial application at major mining operations. This focus on the development of optimised operational strategies has produced considerable economic benefits measured in the $multi-millions to industrial sponsors, including $58 million dollars in additional revenue for one multi-national corporation over one year following the adoption of engineered heaps based upon the advanced simulation tools from Swansea.
Spatial decomposition methods have been extended to apply to spatial, scale, and temporal domains as a result of work at the Numerical and Applied Mathematics Research Unit (NAMU) at the University of Greenwich. This work has led to a numerical framework for tackling many nonlinear problems which have been key bottlenecks in software design and scientific computing. The work has benefitted the welding industry in the UK because these concepts are now embedded, with parallel computing, in the industry's modern welding design process software.
A computational aerodynamics design system (FLITE) developed by Swansea researchers has been of significant economic benefit to the aerospace industry. When introduced, the unstructured mesh FLITE approach was considered by BAE Systems to be a step change in their design cycle. Using FLITE, highly complex modern aerospace configurations could be analysed in short timescales. The FLITE system has since been utilised by a number of international organisations. Its use in the design of the BLOODHOUND project has also contributed to significant public engagement in science and engineering, including a large-scale education programme with which over 5,000 schools have fully engaged.
Research at GCU led to a novel method for backfilling pipeline tunnels providing the ability to fill tunnels three times more quickly than the traditional method resulting in a cost saving of £1.5M on a single project. This approach is now best practice at Murphy Pipelines Ltd (MPL) and features in current tenders to a value of £30M. The change in fill material lowered the carbon footprint by 5000 tonnes in a CEEQUAL award winning project, in addition, the removable fill material allows the recycling and re-use of tunnels, adding to the assets of the company and reducing costs.
The application of advanced control algorithms has generated an impact on the economy and the environment through increased precision and reduced cost of operation of fast mechanical systems. A reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions has been achieved in the transportation industry by the implementation of novel advanced control algorithms for advanced cruise control systems.
The High Performance Computing (HPC) application code HELIUM, developed at Queen's University Belfast to assist the development of attosecond technology, has impacted on the provision of public services through guiding procurement and acceptance testing of the high-performance computer facility HECToR. This facility was funded by UK Government with a total expenditure of £113M during 2007 - 2013. The HELIUM code was used for procurement and acceptance testing for the initial HECToR service in 2007 (Phase 1, 11k cores), and its upgrades in 2009 (Phase 2a, 22k cores), 2010 (Phase 2b, 44k cores) and 2011 (Phase 3, 90k cores). The HELIUM code was particularly invaluable in demonstrating that the Phase 2b and Phase 3 systems perform correctly at pre-agreed performance levels, since this code can be adapted to run for several hours over >80k cores.
The Leeds unit's MoD-funded research programme in hypervelocity impact dynamics has: saved the MoD two years in ballistic development and £1.5m-£2m in costs; guaranteed robustness and reliability of MoD computations; enabled the MoD to deliver advanced research output cost- effectively under severe budgetary pressures; continued to underpin a £4m annual income for the MoD's War Technology consultants QinetiQ; provided the MoD with a world-leading explosion- simulation capability. MoD codes underpinned by the Leeds research have, during the REF period, led to a reduction in front-line casualties of British Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and enabled government agencies to make quantifiable assessments of threats to transport and public-building infrastructure, e.g. in the planning of the 2012 Olympic Games. QinetiQ have used the codes with industry to develop a new explosive perforator for oil extraction that has: "halved the R&D process, time-to-market and cost of oil-well exploitation"; improved oil flows by 30-40% in tests undertaken by oil companies, and; yielded substantial (but confidential, see §4e) recurrent licensing royalties.
The vulnerability of both military and civilian infrastructure to the threat of terrorist activity has highlighted the need to improve its survivability, and this poses a significant design challenge to engineers. Research work at Imperial has led to the development of novel constitutive relationships for polymeric materials coupled to novel analysis procedures; software algorithms for effective simulations of blast and impact events; and enhanced experimental testing methods allowing a fundamental understanding of the structures. According to Dstl, this body of research has `unquestionably improved the security and effectiveness of the UK armed forces operating in hostile environments abroad as well as the safety of citizens using metropolitan infrastructure within the UK'. The techniques have been applied to vehicles and UK infrastructure, including for high profile events, such as the 2012 Olympics.