Project: Certification for Design - Reshaping the Testing Pyramid

Total project value: £6,924,663

End date: 31 July 2026

Funding body: EPSRC - Programme Grants scheme

Partners: University of Bristol (Lead), Airbus Operations Ltd, Alan Turing Institute, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems, National Composites Centre, CFMS Ltd, Rolls-Royce and Universities of Bath, Southampton, and Exeter

About: CerTest seek to enable lighter, more cost and fuel efficient composite aero-structures through developing the scientific foundations for a new approach for integrated high-fidelity structural testing and multi-scale modelling and 3D product quantification based on Bayesian learning and statistical Design of Experiments (DoE), incorporating understanding of design features at structural lengths scales.

Website: www.composites-certest.com

Project: Next Generation Fibre-Reinforced Composites: A Full Scale Redesign for Compression  (NextCOMP)

Total project value: £6,205,244 

End date: 30 June 2026

Funding body: EPSRC - Programme Grants scheme

Partners: Imperial College (Lead), University of Bristol, Airbus Operations Ltd, BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Rolls-Royce Plc, Hexcel Composites, National Composites Centre, University of Vienna, Vestas, Victrex Plc, Thomas Swan and Solvay Group

About: NextCOMP is an EPSRC Programme Grant developing a new generation of high performance fibre-reinforced polymer composites. The project focuses on the challenge of improving the absolute performance of composites in compression, whilst illustrating the value of multiscale hierarchical design.  

Website: www.nextcomp.ac.uk

Project: Adaptive Aerostructures for Power and Transportation Sustainability (AdAPTS)

Total project value: £1,119,057

End date: 30 September 2025

Funding body: EPSRC - Fellowship scheme

Principal Investigator: Dr Benjamin King Sutton Woods 

Partners: Airbus Operations Ltd, Leonardo UK Ltd, Vestas, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and University of Michigan 

About: Adaptive Aerostructures for Power and Transportation Sustainability (AdAPTS) is an Early Career Fellowship research project which will advance an ambitious new approach to the design of aerostructures by harnessing the adaptability of compliance-based morphing to continuously optimise aerodynamic performance. This will allow for greener and more sustainable fixed and rotary wing transportation and wind turbine power generation through reduced aerodynamic drag, increased efficiency and improved resilience to changing operating conditions.

Website: www.gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/T008083/1

Project: Realising Functional Cellulosic Bio-based Composites

Total project value: £1,561,994

End date: 30 June 2026

Funding body: EPSRC - Fellowship scheme

Principal Investigator: Prof Steve Eichhorn

Partners: University of Cambridge, Aalto University, FiberLean Technologies, National Composites Centre, Futamura Chemical UK Ltd, Renuables, Texas A&M University and University of Leuven (Kulak Campus)

About: The technical work of the fellowship will focus on biobased and sustainable composites using cellulose towards functional materials. The ED&I aspect of the work will aim to improve the experiences and inclusion of Black students and staff.  ED&I in Engineering Recent studies have highlighted that fewer than 1% of UK university professors are Black, with previous research showing that there are only 25 Black female professors in the UK. 

Website: www.celbiocompedi.com

Project: RACHEL (Robustly Achievable Combustion of Hydrogen Engine Layout)

Total project value: £21,412,297

End date: June 2026

Funding body: Innovate UK - BEIS funded programmes

Partners: Rolls Royce (Lead), University of Bristol, Causeway Aero Ltd, NCC, IPT Aero UK Ltd, Short brothers, Imperial College London and Reaction Engines Ltd

About: The aim is to develop technologies and architectures that deliver an effective and practical hydrogen combustion gas turbine powerplant able to operate safely, practically and reliably with Liquid H2 fuel across the full operating range, and to deliver a commercially viable product.

Website: UKRI Gateway to Research - RACHEL

Project: SCALE-UP (Sustainable Composite for Automotive and Low Emission UK Production)

Total project value: £6,341,420 via the Advanced Propulsion Centre including a government grant of £3,158,432 through the Collaborative R&D programme

Funding body: Innovate UK - Collaborative R&D programme

Partners: JLR (Lead), University of Bristol, Carbon ThreeSixty Ltd, iCOMAT, Engenuity Ltd, Lineat Composites and Helicoid Industries

About: Developing a growing UK supply-chain, enabling high-volume application of lightweight and circular composite technologies for the automotive industry.

Website: Advanced Propulsion Centre - SCALE-UP

Project: Natural nEUROactive Mechanical mETAmaterials (NEUROMETA)

Total project value: € 2,478,140

End date: 30 September 2026

Funding body: European Research Council (ERC) - Excellent Science

Principal Investigator: Fabrizio Scarpa

Partners: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 

About: Metamaterials are artificially engineered and endowed with properties beyond those encountered in naturally occurring materials. Despite their wide applicability in communication systems, sensing and robotics, metamaterials are based on fossils and exhibit a high carbon footprint. The EU-funded NEUROMETA project is interested in developing metamaterials with neuroactive behaviour. Researchers will exploit the inherent properties of natural plant fibres and spider silk strands to design and generate novel metamaterial architectures. The work will lead to metamaterials with adaptive behaviours that mimic artificial neural networks and are at the same time environmentally friendly to fabricate.

Website: www.cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101020715

Project: Durability modelling of composite structures (D-STANDART)

Total project value: £4,352,915.35 

End date: 31 December 2025

Funding body: EU Horizon

Principal Investigator (UoB): Giuliano Allegri

Partners: Rolls-Royce plc (lead), University of Bristol, NLR, TU Delft, Hexagon, Luo, Suzlon, NCC Operations Limited, iCOMAT and University of Twente

About: This project aims to develop rapid methods to characterise fatigue damage in composites and sustainability of composite supply chains; and thereby model the durability and sustainability of large-scale composite structures with arbitrary layups under realistic conditions (loads, environment, manufacturing imperfections).

Website: https://d-standart.eu/

Project: Designer Liner 2

Total project value: £3,251,283

End date: TBC

Funding body: Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority for England and Wales

Partners: Yorkshire Water Services Ltd (Lead), University of Bristol, NCC Operations LTD, Water Research Centre Ltd, RPS Environmental Management Ltd, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Scottish Water, Affinity Water Ltd

About: Water pipes are often underground and at mercy of the elements – meaning that they are prone to leaks and bursts. Repairing and replacing water pipes is costly, so one way to reduce issues and prolong the lifespan of a pipe is to line it and add an extra layer of protection. Pipe lining is 50% cheaper than more traditional methods, it generates less carbon and reduces disruption for customers because there’s less need to dig up the road. Water companies will collaborate on this project to develop a lining solution that is fit for a 21st century water network that complements other technologies, like smart networks and devices. 

Website: www.waterinnovation.challenges.org/winners/designer-liner-2