PhD scholarship on Very High Cycle Fatigue behaviour of glass fibre reinforced polymer composites in Department of Wind and Energy Systems
Are you interested in contributing to the understanding of the Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) behaviour of fiber-polymer composite materials?
If so, the Department of Wind and Energy Systems, Division of Materials and Components invites applicants for a PhD position in the field of experimental and numerical investigation of the temperature- and frequency dependency of composite materials in the VHCF regime.
Responsibilities and qualifications
The PhD project aims at advancing the state of the art in the area of VHCF fatigue testing of fiber-polymer composite materials in the very low stress/strain amplitude regime. The main objective of this PhD project is to study the fatigue limits at strain amplitudes and cycle numbers relevant for wind turbine blades, to quantify and mitigate the effects of accelerated testing due to high strain rates and hysteresis heating, and to investigate the existence of a fatigue cut-off limit in composites. For this purpose high frequency fatigue tests will be conducted using resonance test machines, the visco-elastic properties of the resins will be studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). FEM material modelling will be performed to investigate the correlations between temperature, frequency, and fatigue life.
Your primary responsibilities and tasks will be to:
- Obtain temperature-frequency stress-strain diagrams by conducting DMA tests on neat resin samples
- Obtain SN-curves of composite materials at different testing frequencies using both, servohydraulic and resonance testing machines
- Visco-elastic modelling of the cyclic loading process at different frequencies and temperatures
- Validate the visco-elastic model predictions against experimental results
. - Disseminate the test results in peer-reviewed top tier journals and conferences
As a formal qualification, you must hold a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master’s degree. Furthermore, strong English communication skills are essential. Applicants should be highly motivated, proactive, ambitious, and eager to seek and share knowledge, willing and able to work independently as well as in a team.
More specifically, you should have the following qualifications:
- Strong background in constitutive modelling of composite materials incl. visco-elasticity theory
- Experience in experimental mechanics specifically in material fatigue testing and its analysis
- Experience in damage- and/or fracture mechanics is an advantage
- Experience in finite element modelling using commercial software packages such as Abaqus is a plus
Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU’s rules for the PhD education.
Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Associate Professor Martin Eder, Senior Researcher Ali Sarhadi and Senior Development Engineer Jakob Ilsted Bech.
We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.
Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.
Starting date is 1. November 2022 or according to mutual agreement.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Martin A. Eder (maed@dtu.dk), Senior Researcher Ali Sarhadi (asar@dtu.dk) and Senior Development Engineer Jakob Ilsted Bech (jakb@dtu.dk).
You can read more about Department of Wind Energy at www.windenergy.dtu.dk
Please refrain from sending your applications or reminders directly to maed@dtu.dk, asar@dtu.dk and jakb@dtu.dk as they will not be considered.
If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.
Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 August 2022 (Danish time).
Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link “Apply online”, fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
- Scientific publications (if any)
You may apply prior to obtaining your master’s degree but cannot begin before having received it.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender,race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
The Department of Wind and Energy Systems is one of the world’s largest centers of wind energy and energy systems research and knowledge, with a staff of more than 400 people from 37 countries working in research, innovation, research-based consulting and education. DTU Wind and Energy Systems has approximately 90 PhD students. The department’s cross-disciplinary research is organized through strategic research programmes that collaborate with Danish and international universities, research institutions and organizations, as well as the wind industry.
Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 13,400 students and 5,800 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.
Apply for this job
Apply no later than 1 August 2022
Apply for the job at DTU Wind Energy by completing the following form.