PhD student position in Solid and Structural Mechanics

Switches and crossings (S&C, turnouts) constitute key components in railway networks as they allow for trains to change track. This functionality comes at a cost however as the rail discontinuities in switches and crossings induce greater loading and faster deterioration compared to plain line track. S&C are therefore often characterized as “hungry assets” and it is of great interest for infrastructure managers to improve maintenance decisions for S&C. With the increased availability of sensors that allow for gathering of continuous remote condition monitoring data of S&C and other track components, there is a potential for more accurate maintenance decisions to be made with the right software tools compared to what is possible if only intermittent track inspections are used.

Project description
The goal of this project is to develop a numerical method that can determine the maintenance efforts that minimize the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) of an individual S&C. The project is multidisciplinary and will use theory and methods from structural and multibody dynamics, signal processing, machine learning and optimization to perform three main tasks in a Digital Twin; 1) System identification to determine the condition of the S&C using simulation models and data from remote sensors and monitoring cars, 2) predict future deterioration and 3) to find the maintenance actions that minimize LCC costs based on these predictions. The LCC analysis will be supported by VTI (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute).

The project will be carried out at Chalmers within the competence centre CHARMEC (Chalmers' Railway Mechanics Centre). The project will build on previous PhD projects on S&C dynamics and condition monitoring. The project is carried out in close collaboration with industry partners Trafikverket (The Swedish Transport Administration) and infrastructure company NRC Group.

The overall goals of CHARMEC are to achieve increased quality in railway transportation while reducing production, maintenance, operational and environmental costs via improved understanding of the mechanical behavior of railway systems. CHARMEC was formally established in 1995 and has produced 54 PhDs since. CHARMEC is primarily active in national and EU-level research projects but has a global outreach and recognition in scientific publications and conferences.

Major responsibilities
Your major responsibilities as PhD student is to pursue your own doctoral studies. This includes developing scientific concepts and communicating research results verbally and in writing. In addition to research project activities, you will also take courses on the advanced level adequate for the project following the syllabus of the Graduate School Solid and Structural Mechanics. The position is a full-time temporary employment limited to 4.5-5 years including teaching or other departmental duties corresponding to 10-20% of working hours. You will be employed by Chalmers and will receive a salary according to current salary agreements.

Read more about doctoral studies at Chalmers here .

Qualifications
Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering Physics, Engineering Mathematics or similar with emphasis on solid mechanics and structural dynamics or vehicle engineering.

To qualify as a PhD student, you must have a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in a relevant field.

The position requires sound verbal and written communication skills in English. If Swedish is not your native language, Chalmers offers Swedish courses.

Contract terms
Full-time temporary employment. The position is limited to a maximum of five years.

We offer
Chalmers offers a cultivating and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg .
Read more about working at Chalmers  and our benefits  for employees.

Chalmers aims to actively improve our gender balance. We work broadly with equality projects, for example the GENIE Initiative on gender equality for excellence . Equality and diversity are substantial foundations in all activities at Chalmers.

Application procedure
The application should be marked with reference number 20240151 and written in English. The application should be sent electronically and be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.

CV:(Please name the document: CV, Family name, reference number)
• CV
• Other, for example previous employments or leadership qualifications and positions of trust.
• Two references that we can contact.

Personal letter:(Please name the document as: Personal letter, Family name, ref.number)
One page where you:
• Introduce yourself
• Describe your previous experience of relevance for the position (e.g. education, thesis work and, if applicable, any other research activities)
• Describe your future goals and future research focus

Other documents:
• Copies of bachelor and/or master’s thesis.
• Attested copies and transcripts of completed education, grades and other certificates, e.g. TOEFL test results.

Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form. 

Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered.

Application deadline: 2024-03-31

For questions, please contact:
Docent Björn Pålsson, Dynamics,
[email protected], +46 31 772 1491

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 six Areas of Advance; Energy, Health Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Materials Science, Production and Transport. 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!
 

URL to this page
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