The long-term view Ten-year strategy
SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Contents Foreword 2 What is Structural Integrity? 3 Background and purpose of the Structural Integrity Research Foundation 4 Mission 5 Vision 5 Strategy 6 Impact monitoring 10 Governance 11
SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Foreword
Engineering technologies for structural integrity are critical to the whole-life in-service performance of fabricated structures and products and inform the optimum balance between safety, reliability and competitiveness. A great deal has been learned from historical catastrophic failures and applied retrospectively to codes and standards worldwide. Over-engineered solutions are not acceptable in a competitive world, neither are unacceptable risks which have the potential to lead to loss of life and environmental damage. Resolving this dilemma is vital to innovation; this was the stimulus behind the formation of the Structural Integrity Research Foundation as a world-leading resource for industry. Dr Robert John OBE, FREng Chairman, Structural Integrity Research Foundation
SIRF sponsored by:
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SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
What is Structural Integrity? ‘The science of ensuring things don’t break and operate safely’.
The integrity of any structure depends on three main elements taken into consideration by engineers when a structure is designed for a desired service life:
Structural integrity describes an area of engineering dealing with the ability of a structure to support a designed load in any given environment without failure. Structural integrity is an umbrella term for a range of technologies that, in combination, facilitate the design, build and operation of structures and components in such a way as to minimise their risk of failure.
material properties: such as toughness, strength, hardness, elasticity and crack growth rate stresses: applied and residual stresses and their distribution across the structure flaws: type, dimension and location within the structure together with reliability of inspection and monitoring.
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Structural integrity research incorporates lessons learned from past failures as well as results of testing and modelling in order to improve operational safety and accelerate the adoption of innovative future designs. P A G E
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SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Background and purpose
OF THE ST R U CT U R A L INTEGRITY RESEARCH F O U N DAT I O N
Structural integrity research is vital to the safe, sustainable manufacture and operation of goods, equipment, plant and infrastructure. With the advances in design, new construction methods, more severe operating environments and ageing infrastructures, there is increasing need in the UK and worldwide to produce qualified specialists and underlying academic research to satisfy industrial needs.
As a first step towards addressing these objectives, the SIRF partnership founded the National Structural Integrity Research Centre (NSIRC) – a major postgraduate educational establishment for research and innovation in structural integrity technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2–4. Based in the UK, NSIRC will build an international network of industrial, academic and research institute partners.
The Structural Integrity Research Foundation (SIRF) was conceived in 2012 as a platform for industryfocused strategic research and development in structural integrity technologies. SIRF, the £150m initiative, brings together leading bodies and industrial organisations with a commitment to:
SIRF has formed and is continuing to develop the academic programme at NSIRC with leading universities to offer a range of high-level, professional and vocational qualifications in structural integrity. SIRF recognises that NSIRC meets a global need to develop the knowledge, competency and expertise of the next generation of specialist engineers, and to deliver relevant research and development into industry.
examine current and future industry requirements in structural integrity
The research output at NSIRC and the contributions made by the postgraduates are central to allowing greater understanding of the challenges and economic opportunities in structural integrity as faced by a range of industry sectors.
define and drive research and development activities on a national and international scale train, qualify and award higher degrees in the area of structural integrity promote faster industry take-up of new technologies and procedures.
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SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Mission
Vision
To develop world-leading structural integrity resources in the form of facilities, people and skills, as well as application-focused programmes of work which meet recognised academic and business standards of excellence.
To realise the full potential of structural integrity technologies in order to build and operate new and existing engineering structures and components safely and efficiently worldwide, and to accelerate the development of innovative approaches to emerging structural integrity challenges.
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Strategy map SIRF will deliver its strategy through activities and aspirations focused on four strategic elements and four enablers.
MISSION
VISION
To develop world-leading structural integrity resources in the form of facilities, people and skills, as well as application-focused programmes of work which meet recognised academic and business standards of excellence.
To realise the full potential of structural integrity technologies in order to build and operate new and existing engineering structures and components safely and efficiently worldwide, and to accelerate the development of innovative approaches to emerging structural integrity challenges.
STRATEGIC AIMS
Establish an internationally recognised UK asset in structural integrity
Develop clear pathways from early stage research to industry adoption
Stimulate industry/public sector co-ordinated investment and collaboration
Focus research, development and training on structural integrity
STRATEGIC ELEMENTS Safety:
Failure avoidance and environmentally safe operation of structures Improved reliability and risk assessment methods Extended safe operational life of structures and components
Innovation:
Improved competitiveness and cost effectiveness
Influence:
Industry-relevant research in technical theme areas
Technology and manufacturing readiness
Co-ordinated industry/ public sector investment Better informed government policies
Recognised standards of excellence
Adoption pathways and application of research outcomes
Suitably qualified and experienced personnel
ENABLERS:
Skills:
Improved international codes and standards
Academic qualifications
Industrial and academic collaboration
Co-ordinated industry/public sector investment
SECTORS: Oil and gas
Power
Transpor t
Manufacturing
Infrastructure
Capability, equipment and facilities
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Strategic aims
SIRF will fulfil its mission and deliver its vision via four long-term strategic elements:
The medium-term objectives as SIRF moves towards its vision are to:
establish an internationally recognised UK asset in structural integrity ‘thought leadership’
develop clear exploitation pathways for the outcomes of early-stage research, from proof of concept and prototyping to full-scale adoption by industry and regulators
stimulate industry/public sector co-ordinated investment and collaboration in fundamental and applied structural integrity technologies
focus research, development and training efforts on issues affecting both the safe operation of legacy infrastructure and the risk-informed exploitation of new concepts in design, materials and manufacture.
Safety SIRF will support industry in the avoidance of failures and ensure safe and efficient operation of existing and new assets. It will examine current and future industry requirements in structural integrity, cultivate an improved understanding of design, materials, manufacturing and inspection processes for wholelife performance management of innovative products and infrastructure. This will be achieved by focusing on the following priority areas:
ensuring that output of research is contributing to failure avoidance across all the industrial sectors
development of new technologies and innovative approaches for reliability and risk assessment of structures
development of new and environmentally safe methods to underpin the next generation of life extension and condition monitoring technologies and techniques.
Technical themes SIRF will cover the technical themes listed to the right with emphasis on their impact on competitiveness and the environment: P A G E
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Innovation SIRF will energise and capitalise on the work of the academic base by guiding research and translating fundamental concepts into practical outcomes via industry steering bodies to promote faster industry take-up of new technologies and procedures. This will be achieved by focusing on the following priority areas: enabling systems development to improve competitiveness and cost effectiveness
building a flexible mechanism for seamless transitions between technology and manufacturing readiness
creation of adoption pathways and application of research outcomes to translate fundamental research into an industrially usable form.
Skills SIRF will develop people with the high-level skills and qualifications required to deliver, implement and exploit innovative structural integrity technologies, ready for industry, and to develop standards. This will be achieved by focusing on the following priority areas: providing industry-relevant training and supporting government and industry in solving the shortage of skills in the fields of engineering and structural integrity
New materials for harsh environment (eg high temperature and high pressure)
building a reputation for scientific excellence and achieving recognition for standards of excellence
collaborating with national and international universities to award academic qualifications.
Materials and structures per formance Understanding limits of current materials and their behaviour in service conditions
Influence SIRF will understand, articulate and communicate the importance and value of structural integrity to a range of stakeholders including governments, regulators, industry, standard-setting bodies and the general public. It will define and drive research and development activities on a national and international scale, influence legislation and standards, as well as attracting additional funding and collaborative work programmes. This will be achieved by focusing on the following priority areas:
raising funding support from government/public sector and industrial investment to support SIRF strategy
forging a leadership position in order to inform and influence policy making
ensuring that SIRF is playing a leading part in contributing to globally accepted codes and standards.
Manufacturing and joining processes Reliable and cost-effective manufacturing of complex parts
Additive manufacturing
New manufacturing techniques and system simplification
Corrosion engineering
New and smart materials (eg. composites)
Development of novel coating technologies
Advanced joining processes
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Inspection and monitoring Inspection of manufactured parts Automated inspection
Smart sensing
Condition and structural health monitoring
Big data for structural integrity
SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Impact monitoring SIRF will develop and define its processes for monitoring and tracking the outcomes of the work it undertakes and supports, in line with the objectives of its founder sponsors and broader stakeholders. The following set of high level indicators will be monitored and tracked. Outcomes Safety
Indicators Demonstrable examples of creating pathways for application of research into industrially usable form Practical examples where output of research contributes to failure avoidance and enhancing safety
Innovation
Demonstrable examples of science excellence through high quality publications Evidence where research helps industry in improving cost and effectiveness
Skills
Influence
Reduce shortage of skills in structural integrity by training at least 530 postgraduate students with evidence of significant career progression
Creation of a national and international university network to deliver industry-led research
Leadership position forged to inform and influence policy making
Examples of SIRF research output being used in codes and standards
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SIRF TEN-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
Enablers and industry sectors In the course of its ten-year plan, SIRF strategic elements and aims will be achieved in UK and international markets using the following enablers. These cut horizontally across the strategic elements and technical themes, and are key to SIRF achieving its ambitions:
People and skills
Industry–academic collaboration
Co-ordinated industrial and public sector investment
State-of-the-art equipment and facilities
SIRF will primarily serve these industry sectors:
Oil and gas
Transportation (rail, marine, aerospace, automotive)
Power generation and distribution
Infrastructure Manufacturing
Governance SIRF is governed by founder sponsors including TWI through a supervisory Council. SIRF Council develops strategy, forms constructive partnerships, evaluates progress against objectives, and drives to maximise impact and benefit.
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The Structural Integrity Research Foundation is developing world-leading structural integrity knowledge and resources in the form of safety, innovation, skills and influence.
1407.09/15
SIRF, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL, UK Tel: +44 (())1223 899000 E-mail: enquiries@sirf.uk.com Web: www.sirf.uk.com