Case Studies

Space exploration has provided insights into the formation of the solar system and processes underway on Earth. Missions to Venus, for example, have informed us on the greenhouse effect and the dangers of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Ion engines, a form of electric propulsion, may be preferable to chemical rockets for such miss...

The number of electronic devices prevalent in society has grown rapidly over the last 40 years and by 2025 it is projected the global market for consumer electronics and appliances alone will reach around 745 billion Euros. Regardless of type, from smart phones and smart meters to wideband radio and radar systems, almost all el...

Around 22.6 million people in the EU live with untreated, disabling hearing loss. As well as its social effects it also costs the European economy around €185 billion each year, €25 billion more than the EU budget for 2018. In Germany four to five million workers are exposed to harmful occupational noise and the German social a...

The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) aims to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems by limiting underwater noise from man-made activity, such as shipping or construction work, which can adversely affect marine wildlife. The sources of greatest environmental concern radiate most of their sound energy in the low frequ...

Responding to the international drive for improved fuel-efficiency, leading aircraft engine manufacturers are designing smaller, lighter engines, operating at higher temperatures and pressures than those currently in service. Such engines also ‘bleed’ hot, high-pressure air to support other important aircraft systems, typically...

Damage to rural bridges throughout the EU is being caused by lorries carrying heavy loads that may far exceed their design criteria. For example, in Estonia there is increasing concern over damage to the road infrastructure due to heavy lorries carrying felled trees from forests to saw-mills on country roads. Laws are in force ...