Location: Southwark Campus, London, SE1 0AA
Duration of appointment: 3 years full time
Salary: £15,000 tax free plus full home student fees
Closing date for applications: Applications will be accepted at any time until the position is filled.
Interviews to take place: TBC 

LSBU are offering the opportunity for a student to engage in stimulating research on instabilities relating to elastic rods. The research involves the mechanics of elastic rods loaded by a combination of end forces and moments (torques). It embraces numerical, experimental and analytical research both within a theoretical context and with respect to real-world applications. It requires the study of complex phenomena such as loop formation, snap buckling and hysteresis. The PhD will be based in Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at London South Bank University, and additionally involve collaborative work with the Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics at University College London. The appointed research student can draw upon the experience of both experimental and theoretical expertise based in two universities.

The research will initially focus on two types of problems. First, rods constrained on surfaces, for example inside tubes. Second, rods with geometric constraints, for example strips. Both those problems have industrial and biomechanical applications; such as drill strings inside boreholes and stents inside arteries. Large deformations of twisted elastic rods are complex to model and experiments require care and diligence. The mathematical model involves a system of nonlinear differential equations, constitutive equations, boundary conditions and constraint equations. Standard computational software does not accurately model the interplay of all these factors with a reasonable degree of accuracy. In the early stages, the research will focus on experiments and the formulation of mathematical models to include boundary conditions and constraint equations that are representative of those in the experiments and which additionally model real-world applications.

Skills and experience required:
This research involves experimental, numerical and analytical work. Applicants should have a First or Second Class UK honours degree or equivalent, plus a higher award, in a relevant discipline such as applied mathematics or mechanical engineering. Strong knowledge of theoretical mechanics, the ability to carry out practical and experimental work and computer programming literacy are also required. The precise weighting between theory, numerical ability and experiments will be decided in consultation with the candidate and will take into account the interests and competences of the candidate. The candidate should be able to demonstrate that he/she can develop skills in each area.

For an informal discussion about this post please contact Dr Geoff Goss on 02078157625 or at gossga@lsbu.ac.uk

For full details and to apply please click on the ‘Apply’ button below.

London South Bank University is an Equal Opportunities Employer.