Applications are invited for a PhD fellowship. This PhD is situated in a joint project between the Departments of Mechanical and Materials Engineering of the KU Leuven - Campus Ghent, to fully cover materials as well as operational aspects. The successful candidate will be affiliated with the renowned “Mecha(tro)nic System Dynamics” and “Materials Performance and Nondestructive Testing” Divisions of the KU Leuven.

Structural failure in the aerospace sector can be life threatening for users/passengers and financially catastrophic for operators and the manufacturer. This is the main reason for which a large part of an aircraft’s lifecycle operation cost is spent for inspecting its structural integrity on the ground. On-line detection, autonomous and characterization of failures within aircraft structures can lead to a radical reduction of this cost while increasing safety.

As a project aiming at industrial implementation, there is a distinguished industrial advisory group in place, whose members, such as Brussels Airlines support the work and can be a potential partners for further valorisation.

How to Apply 

Informal enquiries prior to making an application should be addressed along with a detailed CV to Prof. Dimitrios Chronopoulos, mail: [email protected] AND Prof. Sam Coppieters, mail: [email protected].