PhD student position in Modelling of rail and wheel steels

Information about the department o Applied Mechanics

We are seeking a dedicated and creative PhD student to work on research related to material and computational mechanics; in this case the work is focused on modeling of near pearlitic steels subjected to mechanical and thermal loadings. The position is located within the Division of Material and Computational Mechanics at the Department of Applied Mechanics, Chalmers University of Technology, in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Department has five different divisions and about 170 employees. Research at the Division of Material and Computational Mechanics covers a wide range of topics of both fundamental and applied character. Your project will be part of the activities in the Competence Centre CHARMEC - CHAlmers Railway MEChanics. CHARMEC is a national centre of excellence in railway mechanics established in 1995. CHARMEC is supported by Chalmers and the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) and by an Industrial Interests Group comprising ten partners. The long-term CHARMEC research and knowledge bank aims at reducing the railway's costs for production, environment, operation and maintenance while improving safety, reliability and transport quality. Currently, some 25 research projects are carried out within CHARMEC, see www.chalmers.se/charmec.

Job description

The research area for the PhD position is Modeling of near pearlitic steels subjected to mechanical and thermal loadings. Rail and wheel materials are subjected to very high stresses and, in some cases, also elevated temperature. The rolling contact loading results in a multiaxial stress state with a combination of compression and shear. The temperature may increase due to frictional heat generated between wheel and rail, or between wheel and brake blocks at tread braking, which further increase the complexity of the loading situation. An important question is how wheel and rail material behave under these conditions and how this can be modeled when subjected to this complex loading. The main goal of the project is to improve modeling of the cyclic behavior of wheel and rail material subjected to multiaxial mechanical and thermal loadings. Your research and modeling activities will contribute to enhanced knowledge in this field. In addition, teaching activities at the Department of Applied Mechanics are also expected, up to 20% of full-time work. The PhD position is time-limited to maximum 5 years.

Qualifications

A suitable background is a Master of Science (Swedish: civilingenjör) in mechanical engineering, engineering physics or civil engineering with emphasis on solid mechanics, material mechanics and finite element method. Knowledge of the Swedish language is desirable but not a requirement. Since communication of research results is a central part of the work, communicative skills in English oral as well as in writing are vital. Furthermore, it will also be expected that you can take on responsibility, take own initiatives and work independently when needed. At the same time it is important that you are good at working in teams. This is especially vital since the current project will interact closely with adjacent disciplines. Finally, you need to be able to disseminate results and knowledge within existing and new networks. This includes academia, industry and society at large.

Application deadline: 2013-08-15

For questions, please contact:

Professor Magnus Ekh
Phone: +46 (0)31 7723479
Email: magnus.ekh@chalmers.se
Chalmers University of Technology conducts research and education in engineering sciences, architecture, technology-related mathematical sciences, natural and nautical sciences, working in close collaboration with industry and society.

The strategy for scientific excellence focuses on our eight Areas of Advance; Built Environment, Energy, Information & Communication Technology, Life Science, Materials Science, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Production and Transport. The aim is to make an active contribution to a sustainable future using the basic sciences as a foundation and innovation and entrepreneurship as the central driving forces. Chalmers has around 10,000 students and 2,900 employees. New knowledge and improved technology have characterised Chalmers since its foundation in 1829, completely in accordance with the will of William Chalmers and his motto: Avancez!