UQ PhD Scholarship in Thermo-Mechanical Damage Behavior of Rock Under Polyaxial Stresses

Knowledge of rock damage behaviour is of great importance in many engineering applications including the design of open-pit mines, deep underground tunnels, repositories, and deep wells, as well as in geophysics, tectonics, and seismology disciplines. It is therefore imperative to understand how environmental parameters affect rock damage in such applications for better and safer designs. In deep underground operations, in particular, accumulation of damage is predominantly controlled by (high) temperature and pressure (HTP) that rock is exposed to. This project aims to:

1. Evaluate the effect of temperature on the mechanical strength of rocks under true triaxial (3D) stress conditions,
2. Investigate fracture pattern of rocks under elevated temperatures as well as far-field external loads, and
3. Introduce a more accurate and reliable coupled 3D thermo-mechanical damage model for rocks.

We are seeking a full-time, highly motivated PhD candidate to perform high-quality research in the field of rock fracture mechanics. The successful candidate will be working under the supervision of Dr Mehdi Serati and Professor David Williams the Geotechnical Engineering Centre (GEC) within the School of Civil Engineering. The candidate will join a multidisciplinary team in partnership with industry partners.

You must meet the entry requirements for a higher degree by research.

$28,092 per annum (2020 rate), indexed annually. The duration of the PhD scholarship is three years with the possibility of two 6-month extensions in approved circumstances.

To apply for admission and scholarship, follow the link on the upper right of this page. There is no separate application for scholarship because you will have the opportunity to request scholarship consideration on the application for admission.
Before submitting an application you should:

• check your eligibility
• prepare your documentation
• contact Dr Mehdi Serati (m.serati@uq.edu.au) to discuss your suitability for this scholarship

When you apply, please ensure that under the scholarships and collaborative study section you:

1. Select ‘My higher degree is not collaborative’
2. Select 'I am applying for, or have been awarded a scholarship or sponsorship'.
3. Select ‘Other’, then ‘Research Project Scholarship’ and type in ‘POLYAXIAL STRESSES' in the 'Name of scholarship' field.