5 PhD Vacancies in Mechanics of Materials

About the role

The research group Mechanics of Materials and Structures at Ghent University (UGent-MMS) in Belgium has 5 vacancies for PhD research in the field of mechanics of materials. The vacancies are linked to research on composite hydrogen tanks, mine counter-measure drones and snap fit joints in constructions. All positions have a duration of 4 years and are fully funded (projects already granted). All research will be conducted with leading companies in the field. It is combined with a very low tuition fee, limited to a once-only tuition fee of 1100 EUR at the start of the PhD. Vacancy 1: PhD (4 years) on Design, Manufacturing And Testing of Composite Propellers for Underwater Drone Applications [Net salary (after taxes) starting from 2600 EUR/month] UGent-MMS is part of a European project on next generation propellers for underwater drones. Such underwater drones are becoming more and more important in mine counter measure applications and surveillance tasks. They are sent out by the mother ship and can sweep mines or inspect critical maritime infrastructure. In this project, the propellers will be made of composite materials, and should sustain all mechanical loads in-service. The consortium consists of a large group of European defense companies and research institutes. The research tasks at UGent-MMS involve several aspects: (i) design and finite element simulation of different propeller geometries and material configurations, (ii) optimization of material choices and manufacturing processes, (iii) mechanical characterization of the built propellers. The PhD researcher will interact with the different partners in the European project, in particular also with the research partner at the Royal Military Academy in Belgium, who is doing the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to estimate the hydrodynamic loads on the propellers. Only candidates with a Master degree should apply. The candidate should have a strong interest in experimental and computational mechanics of composite materials, and should be enthusiastic to work in a collaborative project between industry and academia. The candidate should also be willing to travel regularly to other European countries for experimental testing campaigns at different partners. Vacancy 2: PhD (4 years) on Experimental Testing of Composites for Hydrogen Tanks [Net salary (after taxes) starting from 2600 EUR/month] Belgium has been taking a leading position in the transition towards a hydrogen economy thanks to many companies and research institutes active in hydrogen technologies. In addition, Belgium has currently the second largest hydrogen pipeline network in the world and has a strategic position in Western Europe as an import and transit hub for renewable H2 molecules. In the context of these global and local evolutions, Ghent University (UGent) focuses on an important link in the future hydrogen economy, being the storage of hydrogen in pressurized composite tanks, both in the vehicle itself as in refueling stations. Indeed, the success of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles depends both on the development of safe storage options in the vehicle, as well as a supporting refueling infrastructure. UGent-MMS is partner in a large new research project with several leading companies in the automotive industry. This research project aims at developing composite solutions for future hydrogen storage tanks. This PhD vacancy is focused on the experimental characterization of composites for hydrogen tanks. This includes measurement of physical and mechanical properties, instrumentation and data acquisition on full tanks and assessment of solutions for Structural Health Monitoring. The research will be done in close collaboration with the involved industrial partners. The PhD researcher will also closely work together with the other doctoral and postdoctoral colleagues that work on composite hydrogen tanks, to form a strong and complementary team for this highly challenging research topic. Only candidates with a Master degree should apply. The candidate should have a strong interest in experimental mechanics of composite materials, and should be enthusiastic to work in a collaborative project between industry and academia. Vacancy 3: PhD (4 years) on Numerical Simulation of Composite Hydrogen Tanks [Net salary (after taxes) starting from 2600 EUR/month] Belgium has been taking a leading position in the transition towards a hydrogen economy thanks to many companies and research institutes active in hydrogen technologies. In addition, Belgium has currently the second largest hydrogen pipeline network in the world and has a strategic position in Western Europe as an import and transit hub for renewable H2 molecules. In the context of these global and local evolutions, Ghent University (UGent) focuses on an important link in the future hydrogen economy, being the storage of hydrogen in pressurized composite tanks, both in the vehicle itself as in refueling stations. Indeed, the

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