Fully Funded EPSRC and UKAEA PhD Scholarship: Fluid-Structure Interaction Measurements on Largely, Elastically Deforming Structures (F-SIMLEDS)

Funding providers: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)

Subject areas: Experimental and Computational Mechanics, Fluid-Structure Interaction, Digital Image Correlation, Particle Image Velocimetry, Vibrations, Machine Learning

Project start date: 

• 1 July 2023 (Enrolment open from mid-June)

Project supervisors: 

• Dr Hari Arora (hari.arora@swansea.ac.uk) and Dr Raoul van Loon, Swansea University
• A team of industrial supervisors on experimental and computational mechanics will also be engaged from UKAEA. 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Mode of study: Full-time

Project description: 

Management of fluid flow is important across all sectors of engineering, whether internal or external flows are concerned. Knowledge of reaction forces, pressure distributions and deformations of structures is key for safe and efficient engineering design and structural health monitoring. Depending on flow and structural properties, large amplitude deformations and vibrations can occur. These may (not) be expected and so the ability to measure and monitor such events is a valuable capability.

This project joins two teams working in different application areas to advance fluid-structure interaction (FSI) measurement techniques to validate computational models and inform real-time decisions. The project partner, UKAEA, has industrial requirements for monitoring materials and structures in extreme environments across, large and small, length and time scales. The Biomedical Engineering Simulation and Testing (BEST) Lab has been developing synthetic experimental cardiovascular and respiratory systems to assess the efficacy of medical devices and implants. This project will develop a suite of transferable tools to study a diverse set of challenging FSI problems, coupling experiments with numerical methods. Techniques include the use of digital image correlation (DIC), particle image velocimetry (PIV), finite element (FE), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and machine learning. Data driven approaches will be exploited to scale observations from an isolated region towards those in systems and networks, for example, suitable for an industrial plant or the human circulatory system. Details of the project focus will be refined and aligned for the skillset and interests of the successful candidate.

The student will be based predominantly in the BEST lab (>15 researchers), a research group in the Biomedical Engineering Department. The student will be exposed to a range of research topics, training opportunities to broaden and enhance their learning and development within experimental and computational mechanics. During the PhD there will be the opportunity to work at the industrial sponsor site, performing translational research work in their labs. This is a collaborative project between Swansea University and UKAEA, building on a well-established and growing research ties between institutions.  

Eligibility

Candidates must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. 

English Language requirements: If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with at least 5.5 in each individual component) or Swansea recognised equivalent. 

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA regulations. 

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend of £17,668.

Additional research expenses will also be available.

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