PhD Towards Better Structural Steels Sections: Optimisation of High Frequency Induction Welded Line Pipe Products

Start Date – October 2023

Sponsor Company – Tata Steel UK

Supervisor - Professor Claire Davis, Dr Carl Slater and Dr Jinlong Du (Tata Steel UK)

Eligibility - Available to Home fee status and UK domicile EU students

Project Overview - Steel is the most widely-used structural material in the world. If a product isn’t made of steel it’s made using steel. Steel is at the heart of UK manufacturing sectors such as the car industry, construction, packaging and energy. It is an indispensable component of the UK’s future national infrastructure such as transport, communications and energy, and for high-tech 21st century industries, from energy-positive buildings to wind turbines and electric vehicles.

Steel line pipes are widely used in energy sector for onshore and offshore oil and gas transportation. The products are produced from strip by forming and welding to shape. Due to the range of potentially harsh environments, there is a need for higher strength and improved toughness especially on welded part in these products, particularly with considerations for CO2and H2 transportation to meet the future energy sector needs. This project will consider the microstructure development during the high frequency induction welding process, using both modelling and experimental methods, to determine the microstructure – property relationships and if the full pipe body tempering heat treatment post welding can be eliminated, giving cost, energy and CO2 savings.

This is an exciting opportunity to work as part of our Advanced Steel Research Centre (ASRC) at WMG, University of Warwick, an internationally leading centre for steel research. The ASRC is located in the Advanced Manufacturing and Materials building and has benefited from a multi-million pound investment in new equipment. You will join a group of over 40 people (academic staff, research fellows and doctoral students) working on steel research, develop skills in FE modelling, microstructural characterisation and mechanical properties as well as have the opportunity to collaborate with the industrial sponsors of the project, Tata Steel. Tata Steel is one of the World’s leading steel producers, with steelmaking in Port Talbot in Wales and manufacturing and distribution operations across the UK, such as the Hartlepool 20’’ mill that produces a range of line pipe steel products for oil and gas applications.

Send Initial general enquiries to Prof Claire Davis (email: Claire.Davis@warwick.ac.uk)

Essential and Desirable Criteria - We are actively seeking an enthusiastic individual to join the Advanced Steel Research Centre at WMG, the University of Warwick with the following entry requirements and expectations:

• 1st or 2.1 degree in a relevant science or engineering subject, such as materials, physics, mechanical engineering, or maths.

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