Experimental and modelling for welding of improved fatigue TMCP steels

Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in Experimental and modelling for welding of improved fatigue TMCP steels Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering and Ryan Institute for Marine, Environment and Energy

Application(s) are invited from suitably qualified candidates for full-time funded PhD scholarship(s) starting in September, 2023 affiliated to the Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering and Ryan Institute for Marine, Environment and Energy at the University of Galway. University of Galway Located in the vibrant cultural city of Galway in the west of Ireland, the University of Galway has a distinguished reputation for teaching and research excellence For information on moving to Ireland please see www.euraxess.ie

Detailed Project Description

The TAILORED MANUFACTURING FOR SAFE, SUSTAINABLE OFFSHORE WIND TURBINE SUPPORT STRUCTURE MATERIALS (TRANSFORRM) project, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), aims to develop a multi-scale, process-structure-property-performance (PSPP) framework for manufacturing-informed design of safe, sustainable structures for upscaling of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). TRANSFORRM will develop methods to achieve increased safety, reduced cost and longer life for offshore renewable energy (ORE) structures (e.g. monopiles, jackets) via through-process design and thermo-mechanical controlled processing (TMCP) and welding of state-of-the-art high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel.

The specific focus will be on increased material strength and increased resistance to fatigue crack initiation (FCI) and growth in welded connections, via control of manufacturing-induced microstructure. In partnership with industrial collaborators, TRANSFORRM will thus provide the key building blocks for a digital twin for OWTs and novel structural design and condition monitoring techniques. TRANSFORRM will involve close collaboration with relevant key national and international academic, research and industry partners. The position may involve international travel for collaboration visits (up to 6 months in duration) and conference attendance. International collaborators include IMDEA Materials Institute (Madrid, PFM and multi-scale modelling), Imperial College London (residual stresses and FCG in welds), Universities of Plymouth (offshore renewables), Nottingham (fixed OWT design, analysis), Strathclyde (floating OWT design, analysis) and DTU Denmark (Design Codes and Standards), as well as Univ of Limerick (EBSD, CPFE).

This PhD will include thermo-mechanical-microstructure experimental investigation and numerical modelling of gas tungsten arc welding of current and next generation, improved TMCP steels for OWT monopiles. The welding will include bead on plate and commercial girth welding trials and will focus on measurement of microstructure thermally-transformed zones and residual stress measurement. The work will include collaboration with Imperial College London and University of Limerick and focus primarily on multi-scale modelling for TMCP for explicit simulation of process-induced thermo-mechanical evolution of texture and grain size distributions in HSLA steel. The numerical modelling will develop a CAPHAD-based thermal-metallurgical method for simulation of the welding process, to predict both microstructure and residual stresses, and will collaborate for phase field modelling including phase transformations and grain growth kinetics. This person will liaise closely other PhD and post-doctoral researchers in the team, for calibration and validation process-microstructure data for process modelling, phase field modelling and crystal plasticity modelling etc.

Living allowance (Stipend): €19,000 per annum, [tax-exempt scholarship award] University fees: €5,500 per annum

Start date: 1st September, 2023

Academic Entry Requirements:

1st class or 2.1 honours Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical engineering or closely related discipline (e.g. Civil or Biomedical Engineering, Materials Engineering or Science). Candidates must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and a strong passion and motivation for excellence in engineering research, with a view to publication, international conference presentations and collaborations. Candidates must also be motivated to work within a team to achieve overall project objectives.

To Apply for the Scholarship:

Expressions of interest comprising submission of a covering letter, CV, statement of personal research interests, evidence of performance or equivalent and the contact details of two referees, to be submitted via e-mail to [Email Address Removed], [Email Address Removed]

Contact Name: Prof Seán Leen or Dr Richard Barrett

Contact Email: [Email Address Removed] or [Email Address Removed]

Application Deadline: 01/07/2023 (1st July, 2023) and time 17:00 (Irish time 24hr format)

Primary Supervisor name (if applicable): Prof Seán Leen, Dr Richard Barrett