Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Sub-acoustic dynamics of disordered mechanical metamaterials

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/aerospace-e...

Mechanical metamaterials have surged to the forefront over the past ten years against the backdrop of the unprecedented developments in optical, electromagnetic and acoustic metamaterials. Metamaterials are artificial materials designed to outperform naturally occurring materials in various fronts. These include, but are not limited to, electromagnetics, acoustics, optics, terahertz, infrared, dynamics and mechanical properties. As a result, research in metamaterials has emerged as a highly multi-disciplinary area. An essential feature of metamaterials is the periodicity of a unit cell. This project will explicitly investigate three aspects, namely (a) the consideration random disorders / variabilities in the geometric and material properties of constitutive units, which could be present either naturally or by design, (b) the consideration of energy dissipation on damping in the materials, and (c) the consideration of nonlinearity in the mechanical behaviour, either introduced deliberately or present inherently. The simultaneous consideration of the above three aspects will provide a step-change in the dynamic analysis and mechanical characterisation necessary for real-life technological applications. The impact of this project will be realised through the development of novel analytical methods and computational approaches for lattice-based metamaterials. College of Engineering’s cutting-edge 3D printing and testing facilities will be used to validate theoretical results and test newly proposed material designs.

Eligibility

Candidates must hold an MEng or equivalent in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Mathematics or Mechanical Engineering. Some knowledge of aeroelasticity and some experience in the aerospace industry would be desirable.

We would normally expect the academic and English Language requirements to be met by point of application. For details on the University’s English Language entry requirements, please visit – http://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/englishlanguagerequirements/

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to UK/EU candidates only.

Applicants of other nationalities may also apply, but the funding source to cover the fee difference must be guaranteed and detailed in the covering letter.

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK/EU tuition fees, plus an annual stipend in RCUK rate (TBC, currently £14,777). There will also be funds available for research expenses.

Applicants of other nationalities may also apply, but the funding source to cover the fee difference must be guaranteed and detailed in the covering letter.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete and submit the following documents to Professor Sondipon Adhikari (s.adhikari@swansea.ac.uk):

• CV
• Covering letter

For enquiries, please contact Professor Sondipon Adhikari (s.adhikari@swansea.ac.uk / +44 (0)1792 602088).