ASD Lab
Research Positions
PhD Open Position
ASD Lab is pleased to offer a fully funded PhD position in partnership with Experimental Experimental Aerodynamics and Propulsion Lab to develop methodologies for hydrogen-powered regional aircraft design, optimisation and environmental impact assessment. Please have a look at the attached document for more information.
Bachelor and Master Science Theses
A comprehensive list of possible theses for the UC3M stuidents is available in the intra-web SIGM@ application at sigma.uc3m.es. Just look for the thesis topics offered by ASD Lab, selecting those supervised by:
- Rauno Cavallaro
- Andrea Cini
- Antonio Raimondo
Digitalisation and virtual certification thesis topics
1. Numerical investigation on the damage response of composite fuel tank under tyre rubber impact
During the process of taking off and landing, aircraft tyres can burst and fail. The high velocity impact of a tyre fragment may cause large deformations and even the rupture of fuselage and wing panels in correspondence of the fuel tank, posing a serious threat to the safety of the aircraft. In this work, a Finite Element model will be developed to simulate the impact of a tyre fragment on a composite fuel tank taking into account the complex interaction between the fluid and the structure.
(D. Karagiozova, 2005)
2. Non-destructive control of composite structures by means of lock-in thermography
Infrared (IR) thermography is a non-contact and non-destructive methodology able to detect defects and to determine their size, depth and nature in a quick and simple way. In the present thesis work, different techniques to evaluate defects and damages in composite laminates will be investigated. The experimental work will be supported by the development of a thermo-mechanical numerical model based on the Finite Element Method.
(Yoonjae Chung, 2021)
3. Multifunctional composite structures
A multifunctional composite structure can be defined as a structure that, beside its primary function which is to withstand mechanical loads with high specific stiffness and strength, can perform others non-structural functions. In this thesis, different possibilities in terms of design and performance capabilities will be explored. Focus will be given on the feasibility of integrating de-icing and in-situ structural health monitoring (SHM) systems, thermal management for more electric aircraft within composite structures.
(Till Julian Adam, 2018)
4. Numerical simulation of lightning strike effect on composite laminate
Lightning strike represents a critical threat to aircraft, especially nowadays with the increasing using of composite materials. Indeed, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) has low electrical and thermal conductivities compared to traditional metallic alloys. When highly charged lightning strikes, the large amount of energy can cause severe damages to the structure due to burning, heating, sparking and arcing. The present work aims at developing a coupled electromagnetic/thermal/structural Finite Element Model able to numerically simulate a lightning strike and evaluate the damage state of the composite.
(Jikui Zhang, 2019)
5. Modelling of the impact response of composite structures under service loads
Composite laminates exhibit poor behaviour in the out-of-plane direction especially when subjected to a Low Velocity Impact (LVI). LVI can occur accidentally during the manufacturing and maintenance, or during service and can result in delamination, matrix cracking and fibre fracture. In the present work, a numerical model, based on Finite Element Method, will be developed to simulate the damage under LVI, focusing on the effect of the loading conditions on the extent of damage and residual loading carrying capability of a composite laminate.
(Wei Tan, 2015)
6. Damage assessment in composite aircraft structures under ditching loads
Certification authorities require to assure high safety standard for large transport aircraft in the event of ditching, an emergency condition where an aircraft land in water. Nowadays, the increasing use of composite materials for aeronautical structures demands the developing of reliable numerical methodologies able to predict the complex damage mechanisms induced by the fluid-structures interaction. In this thesis, an explicit Finite Element model based on the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach will be developed for the simulation of water impact of composite structures.
(Mostafa Safdari Shadloo, 2016)
7. Crashworthiness of composite structures
In recent years, crashworthiness design and certification have been one of the main concerns in aviation safety. Fuselage sections have to be designed to limit occupant accelerations and improve survivability in an event of crash. Fuselage structures made of composite materials require special attention to crashworthiness due to the different energy absorption mechanisms compared to the traditional metallic alloys. In this thesis, the dynamic response of a fuselage section subjected to impact will be analysed using an explicit Finite Element model.
(M. Waimer, 2010)
8. Simulation of sloshing phenomenon inside fuel tank
During flight manoeuvring in addition to the aerodynamic loads, aircraft are subjected to sloshing loads. Sloshing occurs when a fluid containing body suddenly accelerates or decelerates leading to dynamic instability and structural failure. Therefore, evaluating the response of fuel tank under sloshing is essential for airworthiness certification. A numerical study will be performed in this work using a Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach to simulate the fluid-structure interaction and evaluate the structural response at different tank fill levels.
(Copyright 2013, Flow Science)
9. Design and development of a heating element control system for the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) manufacturing process
The quality of the final product in the Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) manufacturing process is highly affected by the heat distribution on the mould. In this work, the design and development of a heating element control system for an existing mould will be performed.
(https://learnmech.com/transfer-molding-working-advantages-and-disadvantages, 2022)
10. Numerical simulation of Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) manufacturing process
Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) is a widely used process to manufacture fiber-reinforced materials. In this work, a thermo-mechanical FE model will be developed to simulate the mould filling and the curing of the resin material. The model will be adopted to optimize the temperature distribution and the position of ports and vents to maximize the quality of the finish product.
(Julian Seuffert, 2018)
11. High velocity impacts on composite laminates
The mechanical response of composite structures to high velocity impacts from projectiles or debris will be numerically investigated focusing on damage pattern, ballistic limit, residual velocity and residual load carrying capabilities.
(A Banerjee, 2017)
12. Thermo-structural analysis of a fighter jet wing in supersonic flight
The aerodynamic heating occurring at high speed due to compression and friction within the boundary layer represents a major issue in design supersonic vehicles. In this work, a coupled thermo-structural analysis will be performed on a supersonic wing jet representative structure to evaluate the temperature distribution and the resulting thermal stresses.
(Ji-hyun Lee, 2019)
13. Simulation of fan blade-off phenomenon
The certification authorities demand that all blades of an engine must be contained in the event of a failure. Fan Blade Off test are time consuming and costly and reliable numerical simulations are required. In this work, a FE model will be developed to simulate the blade off phenomenon and the structural absorption capability of fuselage and engine cover.
(FAA website. 2007)
Application process:
Candidate are required to submit their applications via email at the following address: andrea.cini@uc3m.es. Application must include the following attachment:
- University mark record
For further information please contact:
- Dr Andrea Cini, T: +44 (0)115 9514181, E: andrea.cini@uc3m.es
- Dr Rauno Cavallaro, T: +34 91 624 8232, E: rauno.cavallaro@uc3m.es
- Dr Antonio Raimondo, T: +34 91 624 8226, E: araimond@ing.uc3m.es
For further information please click on the link