PhD Position Optical Metrology to Characterise Micro-Scale Damage in Composite Materials

Challenge: To characterise micro-scale damage in composite materials with optical techniques

Change: New application of shearography

Impact: In-situ damage characterisation for hydrogen storage

Job description
This PhD project focuses on developing a new shearography inspection method for micro-scale damage detection and characterisation in composite materials.

Recent developments in composite materials for hydrogen storage have highlighted the need for micro-scale damage identification and characterisation. A significant challenge lies in detecting closed microcracks, which are often not detected with traditional optical inspection techniques due to a lack of contrast and minimal displacement or strain signatures.

This project aims to expand shearography capabilities to micro-scale damage detection and quantitative characterisation. The shearography technique (speckle pattern shearing interferometry) has been used to inspect macroscopic composite parts and samples. Shearography directly assesses surface strain irregularities at the microstrain level when applying a mechanical or thermal load. This sensitivity to strain enables the detection and characterisation of closed cracks, as their reaction to global deformation is efficiently revealed.

The key questions that you will answer include:

• How can the principles of laser speckle formation, dynamics, and interference at the micro-scale be optimised for the shearography principle? How do the surface finish and roughness affect speckle interferometry?
• How can a shearography optical scheme be designed to achieve in-plane resolution for detecting microcracks?

Further in the project, you will identify subquestions for future investigation and development.

The research combines developing the shearography instrument, including the optical part and the interferometric data processing, calibration and validation of the experimental results. Robustness is another priority, as the ambition is to perform inspection during real material testing.

In addition to the main project, you may contribute to educational and ongoing research initiatives within the group, leveraging your expertise. You will also have the opportunity to explore and develop your own ideas and research directions.

You will be required to communicate your results both in academic settings (journal papers and conferences) and towards an industrial audience. In this position, you will be supervised by Dr. Andrei Anisimov.

This position is at the Optical Metrology for Aerospace (OMA) research group within the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of the Technical University of Delft. OMA is a young, interdisciplinary and international research group with a focus on optical instrumentation for metrology applications, efficient non-destructive inspection and material characterisation.     

You are a motivated graduate looking to apply your theoretical and practical skills to developing new instrumentation to support the development and analysis of new composite materials.

You also have:

• Master's degree in optics, physics, mechanics, instrumentation or related disciplines.
• Hands-on experience with lasers and optical instrumentation, optical laboratories and experimental testing.
• Experience with image processing, instrument design, composite materials and non-destructive testing is a plus.
• An eagerness to learn new skills and knowledge as needed for the project.
• A capacity to work independently and as a team member.

The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to the scientific community and a general audience through presentations at (inter)national conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals. You will also participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses and write scientific articles and a final thesis. Additionally, you may be involved in training and teaching MSc students. Therefore, a certain level of English proficiency and social skills are required to deal with many stakeholders. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Aerospace Engineering
The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Andrei Anisimov, via a.g.anisimov@tudelft.nl or .

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 24 Feb 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter: list the main challenges you expect in detecting micro-scale damage in composite materials with optical techniques.
• Copies of your BSc and MSc degrees and transcripts
• You can address your application to Andrei Anisimov.

Notes:

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.     

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Applying for an exemption for specific research and educational areas is an obligatory part of the selection procedure for this vacancy. This exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) before an employment contract is agreed upon. Click here for more information.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services

36 - 40 hours per week

Mekelweg 5