In turbojet aircraft engines, reducing fuel consumption and specific emissions of CO2 and NOx need to control the clearance between rotor and stator and consequently to master the blade-casing interactions. These interactions are strongly conditioned by the choice of the coating inside the casing. With regard to braking systems, regulations intend to reduce environmental impacts (noise, particulate emissions) and to increase performance of energy dissipation (high speeds). These specifications need to master the phenomena of friction and the choice of materials in contact. The solutions implemented by manufacturers are based on the use of feedback based approaches and "trial and error" that led to the development of "recipes of heterogeneous materials” performance, with regard to brake lining and turbojet casing coating. However, in the absence of a real understanding of phenomena, such "black box" approaches are facing the new technical and environmental requirements. Besides it generates high development costs due to the number of trials needed. The project objective is to develop a methodology to design multi-scale friction materials. This methodology fills in the missing link within the process of understanding and modelling systems (brakes and rotor-stator assemblies for jet engines) in order to increase their energy efficiency and to reduce environmental pollution (noise, pollution...) while maintaining reliability as part safe. Due to high complexity, the approach relies on the one hand on the identification of physical dominating phenomena and, on the other hand, on an experimental-numerical dialogue. Manufacturers (Snecma, FBF-Bosch and FTG-Faiveley) and some academic teams already have an extensive experience with the targeted applications and knowledge of the physical phenomena involved (LaMCoS and LML-ER5). They propose to add skills of other research teams on multi-scale approaches (IJLRDA and LML-ER4) and in the physical chemistry of surfaces (KUL). The approach is based on the following key points: - Definition of "model materials" representative of industrial material formulations reduced and controlled, which will be characterized in terms of heterogeneities and properties. - Approved friction tests with quantitative characterization of material properties and interface (third body) and their gradients. Innovative ways to rheological characterization will be implemented (rheometers and meso-tribometers). - Multi-scale multi-physics numerical innovative approach considering the heterogeneity of materials and interface. This will be done through multi-scale numerical and semi-analytical homogenization. The main benefits are to achieve: A methodology to "design" friction materials for brake applications and casing coatings for turbojet engine. A multi-scale modelling of material - contact interface, integrated into the industrial methodology for analysing performance of brake systems and aeronautic engines. From a scientific perspective, the major benefit is a "homogenization tribological interpretation" that will be a first in tribology.

FP5-DACtiVate project brings together 21 European partners from end-users, large industry, railway undertakings – operators and wagon keepers, unions, SMEs, and research, thus, covering the entire value chain. The FP5-DACtiVate project is set to advance the full digitalization of freight train operations in Europe, building on prior initiatives such as S2R's IP5, the EDDP, and EURail’s FP5-TRANS4M-R. The project aims to enable the pre-deployment of pilot trains with Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) by executing required additional tests to the complementary project FP5-TRANS4M-R, thus establishing confidence before full implementation, while enabling DAC-authorization processes. The project aims to test the interchangeability of DAC components,expand the number of Wagon Onboard Units in line with FP5-TRANS4M-R's system architecture, and enable thorough validation of the pre-deployment trains by additional locomotives able to integrate hybrid couplers. Collaboration with FP5-TRANS4M-R is vital to align with its functional specifications and technical architecture, ensuring the project's contribution is significant and supports the related DAC authorization process.

Regional railway (lines with lower usage or secondary network) plays a crucial role not only in serving European regions, but also as feeders for passenger and freight traffic for the main/core network. Therefore, they have an essential function as an environmentally friendly mode of transport. In addition is as well essential their link to other public transport services (e.g. bus) and to first and last mile services, such as bikesharing, cycling, walking or driving to get from/to stations to remote locations. Unfortunately, many of these routes were abandoned in the past - mainly due to high costs. Therefore, these rail lines need to be revitalized or even renewed to make them economically, socially and environmentally sustainable and to meet current customer needs and challenges The overall objectives of the FutuRe project are to ensure the long-term viability of the regional railway by reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO), while ensuring high service quality and operational reliability. It also aims to increase customer satisfaction and to make rail an attractive and preferred mode of transport. Therefore, the main objectives of FutuRe are: lowering CAPEX system costs, increasing productivity by lowering OPEX (unit costs per train kilometre), and improving customer satisfaction. These goals are to be achieved through a concept tailored to regional railways but transferable across Europe, encompassing digitalisation, automation and the use of common and new technologies for signalling and track components, rolling stock and customer information. Cost drivers such as infrastructure and energy components, e.g. trackside train detection (axle counters, etc.) and level crossing control systems, will be replaced by less costly wireless and energy-autonomous components. In addition, a modular and standardised vehicle concept specifically tailored to the requirements of regional lines becomes needed, as well as a range of attractive services.

This proposal is fully addressing the HORIZON-ER-JU-2022-FA4-01 call for project. It’s scope of work is covering the Sustainable and green rail systems including rolling stocks, infrastructures, stations and all of their related sub-systems. The objectives are to significantly progress on several families of Key Performance Indicators on different fields : technical ,environmental, economical, standardisation. The decarbonisation of Diesel trains, noise and vibration reduction, energy savings, circular economy, resource consumption, resilience to climate change and pandemic attack, attractiveness of passenger trains are at the heart of the proposed project. The consortium carrying out the project is made of recognized world-class know-how partners : operators, train and sub-sytems manufacturers, research and technology laboratories. It will perfectly identify the precise needs of operators including implicitly the European public policies of sustainable transports, including Climate Neutral Europe for 2050. It will provide the needed scientific and technical solutions via the development and demonstrations (up to TRL7) of new solutions increasing drastically the environmental performances of the railway holistic system. These new solutions will be proposed while verifying that they have viable economic models ensuring a rapid commercialization for the benefit of European citizens. Driven with a constant will for performance, the project will regularly quantify its KPIs progress and will communicate regularly with other ERJU projects as well as other European research entities such as Clean Hydrogen JU or Batt4EU so that all suitable synergies can be implemented. With the quality of its partners, its organization and its processes implemented for maximum efficiency, there is no doubt that this project will achieve all the project objectives set by the HORIZON-ER-JU-2022-FA4-01 Call.