Prof N Aouf
Applications accepted all year round
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
About the Project
Full Studentship including Industrial Placement
Duration: 3 years
With our esteemed partner, we are looking for a well-qualified and motivated PhD student to conduct the following fascinating research project:
Cranfield University and DSTL have defined a program of research entitled " Robustly Augmented Controllers for Hypersonic Vehicles (Missiles)". The PhD has the ambition to tackle the fundamental problem of providing a reliable and efficient robust control design techniques for hypersonic missiles as part of a new and innovative research program within DSTL.
The feasibility of making hypersonic missile flight efficient is strongly linked to the development of the control design of this structure. This design is very challenging to achieve taking into account all the couplings existing between the different components (the elastic airframe, the propulsion system and the structural dynamics) of the missiles, their high level of nonlinearities, the missile high flight attitudes and especially if the aerodynamics, mass properties, etc., are not well known.
Thus, we propose at investigating a control structure that includes:
a. Non-linear compensation to make use of knowledge of nominal characteristics of airframe
b. Robust control to compensate for uncertainty + consider number of scheduling points / vertex points required for successful control throughout the flight envelope
c. Possibly then to be able to model-order reduce the compensator to obtain easier implementation.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be UK nationals only. Applicants should hold at least a Bachelor Degree of either First Class or hold a Masters Degree (MSc/MRes) in Electrical/Aerospace/Applied Mathematics or any other relevant discipline of Engineering.
Candidates should have a good basis in mathematics with good scientific programming skills (Matlab). Experience in control systems and/or aerodynamics is an asset. Good interpersonal and communication (oral and written in English) skills are also required.
How to apply
A CV and the name and address of two referees should be sent to Dr. Aouf at [Email Address Removed].
Funding Notes
Applicants are eligible for a bursary of up to £17,000 p.a. for the duration of the award dependent upon qualifications and experience. This studentship will additionally cover the tuition fees for qualified UK students.