PhD Studentship: Multi-scale materials for vibroacoustic reduction in railway built environments

The University of Birmingham is host to the world-leading Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, a multi-disciplinary group of staff from the Schools of Civil Engineering, Electronic, Electrical & Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Materials & Metallurgy. The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education brings together a multidisciplinary team from across the University to tackle fundamental railway engineering problems.

Railway built environment is often built using traditional materials such as steel, concrete, composites and timber. However, these current materials prompt a concern in lacking of geoecoprotective and vibroacoustic characteristics. In addition to establishing a maintenance-free infrastructure, modern rail industry around the world is investigating novel multi-scale materials that enable both engineering strength and sustainability favors. There is necessity to design and model such materials at different scales from atomistic, molecular, to nano or macro. In addition, it is vital to enhance sustainability through waste management and minimisation. The focus in this study will underline the design and modeling of multi-scale construction materials for applications in rail industry. The goal is to invent a novel and sustainable construction material that could improve both geoecoprotective and vibroacoustic characteristics in railway corridor. The outcome of this research is significant as noise and vibration affects qualify of life and human health. For example, recent news shows that excessive noise can cause dementia. As such, our work will not only improve railway performance but also actually improve public health of those living in urban areas with integrated mass transit and transportation systems.

This research will aim at developing high-performance sustainable structural materials using recycled materials (such as crumb rubber concrete, composites, fibres, steels, etc). It will develop new constitutive models for engineering and structural properties, and then establish appropriate finite element models in order to evaluate complex geometry and topology of nano structures of the material. It will be integrated with advanced computational methods such as atomistic modelling, molecular dynamics modelling, meshless method, etc.

We are looking for people to conduct research alongside the research fellows, and academics to develop an enhanced-capability material and material modeling. This is a challenging problem with a strong potential for rail industry application.

Applications are therefore sought from individuals with an interest and experience in civil, structural, or materials engineering but who also have a potential interest in laboratory testing, structural dynamics, impact engineering and uncertainty quantification. Candidates must have a strong academic background in engineering materials, applied sciences (chemistry and physics) or applied mathematics. Enthusiasm, can-do attitude and strong skills in structural mechanics, dynamics and mathematical and computer modelling (or strong motivation and clear potential to learn these), and willingness to engage in experimental work are a must. Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate both a clear potential for research excellence and their suitability for research project described above.

Informal enquires can be sent to Dr Sakdirat Kaewunruen (s.kaewunruen@bham.ac.uk) and in the first instance should contain a covering letter and a CV.

To find out more about studying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham, including full details of the research undertaken in each school, the funding opportunities for each subject, and guidance on making your application, you can now order your copy of the new Doctoral Research Prospectus, at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/students/drp.aspx