The Library
Lightweighting of double-decker buses
Tools
Micallef, Christopher (2018) Lightweighting of double-decker buses. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
|
PDF
WRAP_Theses_Micallef_2018.pdf - Submitted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (8Mb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3439419~S15
Abstract
The bus industry is currently undergoing extensive transformation as cities around the world push for the rapid introduction of electric buses. Lightweighting of bus structures is identified by leading experts as one of the key technologies necessary to enable and assist this revolution in the industry. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) is the UK’s largest bus manufacturer and a worldwide leader in the construction of double-decker buses. ADL consider lightweighting to be one of the three main technological pillars of the company and have thus supported various ongoing research programmes with this EngD research programme funded in collaboration with WMG, University of Warwick.
This thesis summarises the outcomes of the EngD programme, the primary objective revolving around the identification of innovative yet feasible lightweighting opportunities applicable to ADL double-decker buses. A systematic review of the state-of-the-art of bus lightweighting followed by a critical analysis of ADL bus structures led to initial feasibility studies of various lightweighting opportunities which in turn led to a lightweighting proposal. An innovative lightweight upper-deck structure design was conceived, developed and proposed to ADL. The holistic redesign of the system achieved a 42% weight reduction whilst also significantly lowering the bus centre of gravity hence enabling further lightweighting of other primary structures. The redesigned upper-deck structures necessitates the novel introduction into the bus industry of two key technologies necessary for its realisation; braided fibre reinforced polymer beam structures and coated polycarbonate glazing.
A study on the feasibility of utilising fibre reinforced composites to manufacture cost-effective curved structural beams was carried out. A state-of-the-art review identified a composite manufacturing process consisting of a bladder-assisted consolidation of braided commingled thermoplastic preforms as ideally suited for the bus industry. Tooling was designed and machined to allow demonstrator beams to be manufactured using the proposed method. A finite-element methodology, that would enable the design of these composite beam structures, was proposed and verified though correlation of simulation performance data with data collected from three point bend tests carried out on test beam structures. Design guidelines including considerations of manufacturing volumes and costs were prepared for use by ADL.
Investigations on the feasibility of polycarbonate glazing application within the bus industry identified gaps in the knowledge of lifetime performance of polycarbonate glazing exposed to bus industry specific conditions. A novel testing set-up was designed to assess the performance of commercially available coated polycarbonate glazing exposed to a harsh daily bus washing environments. Following the successful identification of a suitable coating system, a demonstrator manufacture programme was set-up. This led to the successful manufacture and planned installation on in-service buses of polycarbonate glazing panels achieving 57% component weight reduction when compared to the current laminated-glass glazing panel.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics |
||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Buses -- Design and construction, Lightweight construction, Lightweight materials -- Industrial applications | ||||
Official Date: | September 2018 | ||||
Dates: |
|
||||
Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | Warwick Manufacturing Group | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Hughes, Darren J. ; Clough, Andy | ||||
Sponsors: | Alexander Dennis Inc | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | xix, 143 leaves : illustrations (colour), photographs | ||||
Language: | eng |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year