| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/Z531133/1 |
| Title: |
Imaging for Multi-scale Multi-modal and Multi-disciplinary Analysis for EnGineering and Environmental Sustainability (IM3AGES) |
| Principal Investigator: |
Dobson, Dr K |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| Organisation: |
University of Strathclyde |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research TFS |
| Starts: |
01 May 2024 |
Ends: |
30 April 2027 |
Value (£): |
5,096,879
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Complex fluids & soft solids |
Instrumentation Eng. & Dev. |
| Rheology |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
We face many engineering and physical science challenges if we are to develop sustainable and responsible ways to use our critical resources, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and meet our NetZero 2050 targets. Whether it is in raw materials, food, water, energy or infrastructure, sustainable solutions require better understanding, control and exploitation of how materials, processes and structures interact with their environments; and of how those interactions change the material properties and performance.
For the EPSRC community, understanding the properties and behaviour of materials in the natural environment requires observation and quantification of mechanical, thermal, chemical and biological processes. This is made harder because sample history matters, and experiments must simulate evolution over many length scales (µm-m; from individual microbe interactions or crystal growth to sub-surface flow of CO2 or H2) and time scales (s to kyr; from growth of a single fracture to storage of radioactive waste). The best understanding comes when we work in 4D (3D +time) and integrate microstructural and compositional data from the materials, with that from the fluids, gases and biological matter they are interacting with: and repeating those measurement over the course of the experiment. X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is a powerful tool for these kinds of experiments, but it remains under exploited by those working at the materials-engineering-environment interface because of a nationwide gap in technical capability. The main objective of the Imaging for Multi-scale Multi-modal and Multi-disciplinary Analysis for EnGineering and Environmental Sustainability" Facility (IM3AGES) is to fill that gap.
Developed (with input from >120 academics) to address the triple challenge of time scale, spatial scale and co-located multi-modal data acquisition during the consultation process. IM3AGES will provide the first <1min/scan tomography system where samples remain stationary during imaging (critical for imaging fluid flow, plants, complex experimental equipment) and a high resolution (<0.5 micron) tomography system that can also perform diffraction contrast imaging) and has high compositional sensitivity (critical for measuring subtle changes in complex and fine grained materials). IM3AGES then exploits this unique combination, providing a fully integrated suite of environmental cells for short and long-term quantification of processes; with cells to control sample temperature, load, pressure, humidity or saturation, flow a range of fluids, or combine these conditions. IM3AGES also enables 4D analysis of multi-phase and reactive flow in porous media across length scales combining x-ray compatible flow/rheological cells and the cm-m scale 3D particle image velocimetry system.
Acting as a regional hub and complimenting existing infrastructure IM3AGES will be a national centre of excellence for in situ 3D and 4D imaging: and while our core focus is in the rapidly expanding sustainability space, the cutting-edge technical capabilities can, and will be used across many other areas of EPSRC, UKRI, and industry. We aim to support all our users from project inception to final output, maximising the impact of work performed at IM3AGES, developing new skill-sets in the community.
IM3AGES will deliver key enabling technologies at the very moment they become critical to the research community. Our vision is therefore to provide an infrastructure that supports users to generate innovative and world leading research and transformative impact towards a sustainable future
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.strath.ac.uk |