Saturday 22 December 2012

PhD Studentship - Transforming composite structural design by use of structural health monitoring



Cranfield University

Application deadline: 28th February 2013
Start date:  1st March 2013
Duration of award: 3 years
Sponsors: EPSRC / BAE Systems
SupervisorProfessor Peter Foote
Industrially sponsored by BAE Systems and EPSRC, a PhD studentship at Cranfield with up to £20,000 p.a is available for three years, UK/EU fees included*
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship award within the Composites Centre at Cranfield University. The Centre provides world-class research capabilities enabling UK industry to design and manufacture high performance materials and structures in aerospace, automotive and energy sectors.
The PhD position is sponsored by BAE Systems and the successful applicant will work closely with specialists from their Military Air and Information Business along with the Composites Centre at Cranfield University. 

Research Project
The research will explore and test the possibility of using structural health monitoring sensors to revolutionise the design of high-integrity and high performance structures such as airframes made from carbon fibre composite materials. It will entail investigation of the current structural design philosophies and explore how the addition of structural monitoring sensors as a design element could transform the efficiency, performance and cost of these structures.
Currently, safety critical structures such as airframes are 'over engineered' and carefully managed to accommodate uncertainties in the material properties and the manner in which they degrade with use. In-built sensors incorporated at the point of manufacture can monitor degradation and detect damage at all times hence eliminating much of that uncertainty. Because these 'smart' designs would be self-inspecting, the whole approach to design for maintenance and management of structural integrity could also be transformed. Entirely new designs requiring less material, simplified forms and shapes and with enhanced performance could be realised.
The research will be a mix of theoretical investigation and simulation of design potential followed by experimental tests and demonstration of case studies under guidance from the industrial sponsor BAE Systems.  The student will use the extensive laboratory and test facilities at Cranfield and the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacture of Composites, in which Cranfield University is a partner.
For an informal discussion about the project please contact Prof. Peter Foote p.d.foote@baesystems.com
Person Specification
It is expected that the candidate will have at least an upper second class honours degree in an engineering or physics discipline.  It would be beneficial for the applicant to have some experience of aeronautics and structural design.
The expected start date for this award is 1st March 2013 although some flexibility may be possible.
Funding
*Applicants are eligible for a bursary of up to £20,000 p.a. for the duration of the award dependent upon qualifications and experience. This studentship will cover the tuition fees for qualified UK/EU students only.  Non UK/EU students are required to pay Cranfield University Tuition Fees, find out more atwww.cranfield.ac.uk/sas/fees
Apply
To apply for this studentship please click on the Apply Button 
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