Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/Y036506/1
Title:	Upgrade for the human-flow interactions tunnel
Principal Investigator:	Zhong, Professor S
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	UK Sports Institute
Department:	Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Organisation:	University of Manchester, The
Scheme:	Standard Research
Starts:	01 July 2024	Ends:	30 June 2028	Value (£):	1,750,149
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 16 Nov 2023 NWTF plus Panel 2023 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Competitive cycling is a sport where marginal gains in speed and endurance are sought. With aerodynamic drag accounting for over 90% of resistance that a cyclist encounters over a levelled surface, cycling leans heavily on optimised posture and superior design of helmet, bike and clothing, which can often prove to make the difference between winning and losing. The flow field around a paddling cyclist is very complex. It is highly three-dimensional and dominated by separated flow. It is also unsteady due to the paddling motion of the rider. Furthermore, the subtle effect of clothing fit/texture as well as the environmental flow field conditions, such as turbulent atmospheric boundary layer that exhibits gusty wind profiles during a time trial and the turbulent wakes of other riders, can have a significant impact on the rider aerodynamics and hence the racing performance. Such a complex flow is difficult to predict accurately using computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and it is not well understood. The most effective method to optimise a cyclist's aerodynamic performance to date has largely been through a trial-and-error approach to force measurements in a wind tunnel. To ensure the continuous successes of the GB Cycling Team in increasingly more competitive international contests, a specialist wind tunnel focusing on studies of Human-flow Interactions (HFI) has been installed at the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance adjacent to the National Cycling Centre. The tunnel became operational in October 2022 and has been used by British Cycling to complement their human performance training on racing tracks since. To enable the GB Cycling Team to continue staying ahead of the game, it is crucial to decode the impact of body shape, posture and motion as well as the effect of clothing fit/texture and environmental flow conditions on athlete performance. In this project, the University of Manchester (UoM) will work in partnership with UK Sports Institute (UKSI) and British Cycling (BC) to equip the HFI tunnel with enhanced aerodynamic testing capabilities and the state-of-the-art measurement and computational equipment. The upgrade will be the catalyst for a new level of detailed analysis in human-flow interaction, incorporating novel aerodynamic measurement capabilities, integrated biometrics and 4D scanning for image-based analysis and flow simulation. It will also ensure that the operational range and relevance of this facility will extend beyond cycling, to aerodynamic aspects of other sports and, more broadly, to human-factor aerodynamics. The research will further strengthen this unique regional facility to deliver new scientific insights and opportunities to UK Sport's celebrated 'Marginal Gains' strategy, with potential to enable record-breaking results in international contest. A management board with members from both UoM and BC will support the project team to deliver the upgrade and ensure accordance with EPSRC/NWTF usage objectives and BC's performance goals. The amount of in-kind contributions from both UoM and UKSI/BC to support the upgrade and the operation of the facility is substantial during and beyond the grant period of four years. This reflects the strong commitment of both the host institution and the project partners to this project and also ensures a better value for money for the infrastructure investment from the UKRI.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Organisation Website:	http://www.man.ac.uk