Civil Engineering: Fully Funded STFC And Swansea University PhD in The Multi-Physics Modelling of Laser Shock Peening: Bridging Microscopic to Macroscopic Scales

In the process of laser shock peening (LSP), metallic structural components are hit by controlled laser 

• The sudden vaporisation of material at the structural surface creates large magnitude pressure shock waves which induce compressive residual stresses in the structure, thereby improving the surface hardness and the resistance to fatigue cracking and to corrosion. LSP is more effective than traditional shot peening and is important for applications in the construction, aerospace and automotive industries. Other applications include the forming of thin components or the breaking up of hard materials. The computer modelling of LSP remains challenging due to its multi-physics and multi-scale nature. The dependency of the process on the shape of the laser pulse, its energy, ablation layers etc. is not sufficiently understood. This involves complex physics at the interface of plasma physics, shock physics, material science and thermodynamics.

The objective of this project is the computational modelling of laser shock peening. Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Finite Element (FE) simulations will be combined to account for the complex physical phenomena and their different scales. The interdependence of physical conditions (pressure, pulse time, temperature) will be investigated, allowing for the design of efficient shockwaves. Essential multi-physics software tools will be developed. The project is a collaboration between Swansea University and the STFC (Scientific Computing Department + Central Laser Facility).

Funding Details

Funding Comment

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.

Additional research expenses of up to £2,000 per year will also be available.

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