Objective
Wave-driven propulsion (WDP) is a little-known type of locomotion in which a floating body generates surface waves to push itself forwards. Some animals have evolved to use WDP when moving on the water surface, such as water striders and water snakes. Meanwhile, WDP technologies have the potential to revolutionise engineering applications, such as the cleanup oil spills, the automation of hydroponic agriculture, and the reduction of fuel consumption of ships. Despite the great potential of WDP, it remains in a state of scientific and technological infancy. The only examples in the literature are ad hoc, untested and un-optimised. The challenge is that WDP is not fully understood i.e. the dominant controls on the propulsion force and the efficiency have not yet been determined. Without addressing this challenge, the powerful technologies mentioned above cannot be developed. In this proposal we seek to rectify the knowledge gap with a suite of work packages that will ultimately open up a new paradigm in the field where surface waves are thought of as a means of propulsion in their own right rather than just a consequence of motion.
Our research design is centred on 3 aspects of WDP: Acceleration (how the WDP mechanism changes with velocity), Vorticity (the ratio of vortex- & wave-driven propulsion), and Optimisation (maximising the efficiency of WDP towards useful application). We will explore three canonical “surfer” geometries via experiments in a purpose-built hydrodynamics tank fitted with high-speed cameras to measure the 3D velocities and free surface. A modelling campaign will run in tandem, using a combination of hi-fidelity simulations, simple models to gain physical insight, and numerical optimisation to maximise WDP efficiency. By doing so, we will uncover breakthrough knowledge on the propulsive power of waves, critical resonances, and wave-vortex interactions - knowledge that will unlock applications across Transport, Sustainability and the Environment.
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors optical sensors
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering mechatronics automation
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
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