Dear all,
I am pleased to be able to advertise that we are now recruiting students for two funded PhD opportunities within the Transportation Research Group at the University of Southampton.
Funding is available for UK/EU students through the University of Southampton's centres for doctoral training in Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (SiS) and Next Generation Computational Modelling (NGCM), in partnership with the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) where it is expected that the successful students will spend time on extended placement as part of their studies.
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Integrating Automated Vehicles into the Transport Network
Supervisors: Dr Simon Box and Dr Ben Waterson
Recent government investment in driver-less car trials is accelerating us towards a future of greater automation in the transport network. As a direct result of this investment, the Transportation Research Laboratory (TRL) (http://www.trl.co.uk/) and the Transportation Research Group (TRG) at the University of Southampton are offering this research project investigating how transportation infrastructure can sustainable support high numbers of automated vehicles in the network.
Existing transportation infrastructure is designed around non-automated vehicles. This includes not just the road-space but also the many thousands of traffic sensors, the control infrastructure (traffic lights, variable speed limits), the refuelling infrastructure and the integration between modes of transport (airports, train stations etc.). This project will investigate strategies to redesign this infrastructure to support automated vehicles and deliver improvements in sustainability.
The candidate in this project will have access to facilities and training to enable them to explore the scenario of high numbers of vehicles in the transportation network using techniques including: computational modelling, experiments using the TRL's vehicle simulator and experiments using TRG's instrumented vehicle. The candidate will be able to benefit from extended placements at the Transportation Research Laboratory as well as access to GATEway research partners for case studies.
More information available from
Project Details : http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/projects/Integrating-automated-vehicles-into-the-transport-network.html
NGCM Doctoral Training Centre : http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/index.html
Lead Supervisor : Dr Simon Box, Transportation Research Group. Email: [log in to unmask], Tel: +44 (0)2380 59 2175
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Optimising Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging Locations
Supervisors: Dr Ben Waterson and Dr Simon Box
Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer systems, where electric vehicles receive a power charge as they travel along the road have the potential to significantly extend the range and usability of such vehicles. While much research has taken place examining the optimal location distribution of traditional (plug-in) charging points however, the optimal distribution of wireless charging infrastructure, both in isolation and in combination with plug-in systems has received little analysis.
This research therefore seeks to create a modelling framework that - given the inputs of a network, driver requirements and the infrastructure capabilities - can attempt to optimize the distribution of both wireless charging systems and plug-in charging stations within the network.
It is anticipated that the creation of such a modelling framework will require developing and combining ideas and approaches from....
* Mathematics/Operational Research : Scheduling and resource optimisation (including heuristic approaches)
* Complexity Science : Agent based models to represent traveller behaviour such as route choice
* High performance computing : Using the University's IRIDIS cluster
.... to understand how the locations of wireless charging systems can affect the overall dynamics of the road transport network.
This studentship would suit a student with a strong engineering/scientific background with willingness to engage proactively in new technical areas. Previous experience of mathematical and/or computational modelling, along with an appreciation of the complexities of traffic behaviour and engineering aspects of battery charging would be an advantage.
More information available from
Project Details : http://www.cdt-sis.soton.ac.uk/transportation/
SiS Doctoral Training Centre : http://www.cdt-sis.soton.ac.uk/
Lead Supervisor : Dr Ben Waterson, Transportation Research Group. Email: [log in to unmask]
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Dr Ben Waterson
Transportation Research Group
Engineering and the Environment
University of Southampton
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