Objective
The ATLAS experiment will attempt to fully exploit the physics potential of the next large accelerator to be operated in high-energy physics, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Geneva. The Inner Detector is a key component of the ATLAS experiment and the participants of the proposed project are responsible for a major part of the design and construction of the global structures supporting the various Inner Detector components. The barrel support structure is one of the most complex of these: because of the harsh operating conditions at the LHC (irradiation, lack of accessibility) and of the stringent mechanical requirements (stability at the few micron level under difficult temperature and humidity cycling conditions), it has to be thoroughly prototyped, modelled and evaluated experimentally before the final design and manufacturing can proceed.
The proposed joint research project will provide a forum of institutions with advanced expertise in the field of carbon-fibre reinforced plastics and other composite materials. It intends to strengthen co-operation between the European scientific community and the Russian teams, and to solve the serious technical problems posed by the development and construction of radiation-resistant and highly stable structures for detectors operating at the LHC.
The deliverables of this project can be classified into two categories:
results of measurements and tests of specimens and prototypes made of advanced CFRP materials, to be compiled into formal technical notes for ATLAS and into annual reports to INTAS;
results of calculations based on mechanical models of the barrel support structure, to be compiled into formal technical notes for ATLAS and into annual reports for INTAS.
At the end of each task, a separate report shall also be submitted, if deemed useful for the project participants and the collaboration at large. The results of the various stages of the project will also be reported at scientific conferences and workshops and at the regular ATLAS Inner Detector meetings (normally three times a year), and will be published as ATLAS Internal Notes and as articles in scientific journals. The exchange of information between the participants will be conducted through electronic mail, Internet Web pages and the ATLAS Engineering Data Management System.
As stated above, a successful fulfilment of the project will allow the construction of the barrel support structure for the ATLAS Inner Detector. At all stages of the support structure construction, an extremely high mechanical precision will be required, and therefore some specialised tooling may need to be designed and manufactured with the industrial partners. This may well be applied in the future to other scientific and technical areas. The experience gained during the prototyping of the barrel support structure should also be useful in the future for teams working on the design and construction of apparatus in space research programmes and research at high-intensity particle accelerators.
Call for proposal
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OX11 0QX Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire
United Kingdom