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PhD project 1 (Reference:NGCM-0011), University of Southampton
Asymptotic numerical methods for buckling instability problems inbiological systems and bio-inspired morphing structures
BiotribologyGroup, nCATS
Faculty of Engineering and the Environment
University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Background
Buckling instabilities in biological systems play a critical rolein biophysical processes such as morphogenesis, growth, ageing andmechanobiological adaptation and it is therefore essential to have access torobust numerical tools (particularly those based on the finite element method)which can be used to elucidate some (bio)physical aspects of theseinstabilities.As humans age, their skin undergoes a series of naturalbiophysical alterations which occur in combination with the effects of externalenvironmental factors. During this process, the formation and evolution ofwrinkles alter the physical properties of the skin surface. Unveiling theunderlying mechanical principles that condition the morphologies and patternsof wrinkles are therefore essential in predicting how an aged skin interactswith its environment.Similar instabilities also arise in electroactive soft morphingsurfaces which is a very hot engineering topic at the moment with a wide rangeof applications in space, air, on land and underwater.From the view point of physics, buckling instabilities are the result of a complex interplay between material and structural properties,boundary and loading conditions, the exact nature of which remains to be elucidated.
The project
Current available numerical tools are not robust enough to handlethese highly non-linear phenomena in an automatic and systematic way formaterials of arbitrary complexity/physics. It is proposed to develop a robusthybrid symbolic-numerical environment based on Mathematica® and highlyoptimised code (C/Fortran) to enable the simulation of highly non-linearphenomena such as post-buckling arising in a wide range of surfaceinstabilities. The method makes use of a typical finite element discretisation and the principle is to follow the non-linear solution branch by applying a perturbation technique in a stepwise manner. The solution can be represented bya succession of local Padé approximations of high order (typically 20). Thisoffers significant advantages over traditional predictor-corrector methods suchas the Newton-Raphson method: robustness, full automation, computing time.Alternative approximation methods of the solution branch will be explored andthe implementation of fast asymptotic numerical solvers on GPU architecturewill be essential for the project. Multiphysics isogeometric structural and solid finite elements will also be extended/developed to study biological differential growth phenomena and the formation of ageing skin wrinkles.
General information
The position is open to EU students only.
The successful candidate will work in a stimulating research environment, supported by world-leading organisations such as Procter & Gamble, Rolls Royce and the US Air Force and will be encouraged to work with our international academic and industrial collaborators in Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof.Georges Limbert, nCATS and Bioengineering research group, Email:g.limbert@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 592381.
Thisproject is run through participation in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Trainingin Next Generation Computational Modelling (http://ngcm.soton.ac.uk). Fordetails of our 4 Year PhD programme, please visit http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/programme/index.html
Apply NOW (for a start in September 2016):
Visit http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/apply.html
Asymptotic numerical methods for buckling instability problems inbiological systems and bio-inspired morphing structures
BiotribologyGroup, nCATS
Faculty of Engineering and the Environment
University of Southampton, United Kingdom
Background
Buckling instabilities in biological systems play a critical rolein biophysical processes such as morphogenesis, growth, ageing andmechanobiological adaptation and it is therefore essential to have access torobust numerical tools (particularly those based on the finite element method)which can be used to elucidate some (bio)physical aspects of theseinstabilities.As humans age, their skin undergoes a series of naturalbiophysical alterations which occur in combination with the effects of externalenvironmental factors. During this process, the formation and evolution ofwrinkles alter the physical properties of the skin surface. Unveiling theunderlying mechanical principles that condition the morphologies and patternsof wrinkles are therefore essential in predicting how an aged skin interactswith its environment.Similar instabilities also arise in electroactive soft morphingsurfaces which is a very hot engineering topic at the moment with a wide rangeof applications in space, air, on land and underwater.From the view point of physics, buckling instabilities are the result of a complex interplay between material and structural properties,boundary and loading conditions, the exact nature of which remains to be elucidated.
The project
Current available numerical tools are not robust enough to handlethese highly non-linear phenomena in an automatic and systematic way formaterials of arbitrary complexity/physics. It is proposed to develop a robusthybrid symbolic-numerical environment based on Mathematica® and highlyoptimised code (C/Fortran) to enable the simulation of highly non-linearphenomena such as post-buckling arising in a wide range of surfaceinstabilities. The method makes use of a typical finite element discretisation and the principle is to follow the non-linear solution branch by applying a perturbation technique in a stepwise manner. The solution can be represented bya succession of local Padé approximations of high order (typically 20). Thisoffers significant advantages over traditional predictor-corrector methods suchas the Newton-Raphson method: robustness, full automation, computing time.Alternative approximation methods of the solution branch will be explored andthe implementation of fast asymptotic numerical solvers on GPU architecturewill be essential for the project. Multiphysics isogeometric structural and solid finite elements will also be extended/developed to study biological differential growth phenomena and the formation of ageing skin wrinkles.
General information
The position is open to EU students only.
The successful candidate will work in a stimulating research environment, supported by world-leading organisations such as Procter & Gamble, Rolls Royce and the US Air Force and will be encouraged to work with our international academic and industrial collaborators in Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof.Georges Limbert, nCATS and Bioengineering research group, Email:g.limbert@soton.ac.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 2380 592381.
Thisproject is run through participation in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Trainingin Next Generation Computational Modelling (http://ngcm.soton.ac.uk). Fordetails of our 4 Year PhD programme, please visit http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/programme/index.html
Apply NOW (for a start in September 2016):
Visit http://www.ngcm.soton.ac.uk/apply.html