The research group Analysis and Advanced Materials for Structural Design (AMADE – Universitat de Girona (UdG), http://amade.udg.edu) is a research group which main topics of research are:
• Innovation (new designs, new materials, new design tools),
• Product improvement,
• Analysis of in-service behaviour.

AMADE is looking for a potencial PhD candidate to be founded by the FI2017 scholarship program of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

The scholarship is for 3 years starting from 2017. The work place is in the Polytechnic School of the Girona University.

Profile of the candidate:
• Recent Master Degree in Engineering (Civil, Materials, Mechanics, Aeronautics etc.)
• Excellent academic record in Bachelor and Master studies
• Good command of written and spoken English, preferably a TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge CAE or CPE certificate.
• Used to work independently and enjoy working in an international environment as well as close contact to researchers.

The selected candidate will carry out task related to HYBRIDIZATION OF LAMINATED COMPOSITES.

Project description:
Fracture properties of composites can be improved by intelligently generating a heterogeneous microstructure. This can avoid «cascade» effects linked to the fact that the breaking of one fiber causes the break of adjacent ones, of very similar strength. These «cascade» or «avalanche» effects are largely responsible for the fragile behaviour of composites.

It is in this context that a stream of research in the international community emerges focused on providing composite materials with pseudo-ductility, through the intelligent use of different concepts of mixture of constituents, which is called hybridization. It is necessary to devise local hybridizations, either by mixing fibers within the same tow (tow hybridization) or by combining plies of very small thickness (thin plies) to demonstrate the desired improvements.

This project concerns the development of technologies for local hybridization in cases where it is necessary (eg hybridization during tow spreading). New techniques will be used as the tow spreading, hybrid unidirectional tapes or laminates combining layers of different thickness (thin and traditional thickness) and / or different nature (carbon-glass). The project will include the development of analytical models, advanced simulations (using high performance computing) and microstructural inspection to acquire a physical understanding of the synergistic effects of the hybridization (not yet reached by the scientific community).

We offer:
• Interesting and challenging environment with highly motivated colleagues,
• ISO 17025 and NADCAP accredited experimental testing facilities,
• To develop a PhD Degree in an international and motivating research group.

How to apply:

Interested candidates please send your CV, a copy of your academic degrees and the corresponding expedients in English together with a brief motivation letter (max. 500 words) to the e-mail info.amade@udg.edu by July 22nd 2016.

OBS: Students from educational systems outside of Spain must attach an equivalent document containing averages of their university marks by the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation of Spain (ANECA). More information is available on its website: https://notasmedias.aneca.es/home.