PhD position in experimental mechanics (M/F)

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Thesis title: "Simultaneous thermo-kinematic full-field measurements to analyse heterogeneous phenomena"

Simultaneous access to temperature and strain fields is of great interest for characterising the thermomechanical behaviour of materials and structures. Yet, this is not straightforward because different devices are needed to measure the temperature and displacement/strain fields. The temperature of a specimen is, for instance, commonly measured by infrared thermography or thermocouples, and its response to a given load is usually obtained from strain gauges or full-field measurement techniques. These means often provide data at different locations and times, with different resolutions, making it difficult to properly analyse the mechanisms of interest. It ensues that although thermal and kinematic full-field techniques are well-mastered, measuring the two quantities simultaneously with high spatial resolution and reliability remains a great challenge in experimental mechanics.

This thesis work aims to develop an optical technique for measuring temperature and displacement or strain fields simultaneously, at the same location and with high spatial resolution. Based on previous studies, it will be proposed to improve and extend the use of luminescent thermometry in experimental mechanics by coupling it with Localised Spectrum Analysis, a full-field displacement measurement technique developed in the team.

This PhD work is exploratory and methodological, aiming to establish the foundations for new thermomechanical studies. It will combine several fields, including experimental mechanics, optical measurements, image processing, luminescence thermometry, and metrology. The candidate will:

- work on a temperature-sensitive luminescent coating that adheres to metallic specimens and withstands sample deformation;
- design an experimental setup combining UV illumination, high-resolution cameras, mechanical testing, and hardware synchronisation;
- optimise the laser engraving of periodic chequerboard patterns;
- develop Python tools to extract temperature, displacement, and strain fields from the acquired images;
- assess spatial resolution, sensitivity, measurement uncertainty, and robustness using experimental and numerically generated images;
- validate the technique on a CuAlNi shape memory alloy and reconstruct the heat sources associated with its phase transformation.

The software, protocols, and datasets will be openly released. The results will be published in international journals and presented at scientific conferences.

Your Work Environment

This work is supported by financial resources from the SITH ANR project. It will cover equipment, training, dissemination activities, and conference attendance. It will be hosted by the Experimental Mechanics team of Institut Pascal (Clermont-Ferrand). The team has recognised expertise in full-field measurements, optical metrology, laser engraving, thermography, and shape memory alloys. Collaborations with the Luminescent Materials group of the Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand will provide additional expertise in phosphor materials and luminescent thermometry.

Supervisors: Thomas Jailin, Benoît Blaysat, Damien Boyer

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

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