Doctoral position on the mechanics of intertwined architected materials

The Mechanics and Materials Laboratory (Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich) is looking for a motivated and passionate doctoral student to study the mechanics of intertwined architected lattices from a combined computational and experimental perspective. The position will be funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Intertwined lattices are a newly discovered class of architected materials with great potential for tunable stiffness, strength and energy absorption. These properties make them attractive for a wide range of applications, ranging from functional and adaptive textiles, to impact protection and vibration isolation. They are formed by a network of slender elements interacting through frictional contact, and derive their properties broadly from the geometry and topology of this network. However, little is known so far about the exact mechanisms responsible for these properties, and how to further improve them by tailoring the geometry and topology. The goal of this project is to develop a robust computational framework, validated by experiments, and aided by machine learning, to enable the efficient exploration of the design space of this class of materials.

The focus of this doctoral project is primarily computational, while also involving interactions with fabrication and experimental experts within the group. You will develop robust and efficient numerical algorithms for exploring the design space and simulating the mechanical behavior of intertwined lattices. You will also have the unique opportunity to interact with multi-scale modeling experts within our group, and to collaborate with fabrication and experimental experts to 3D-print polymeric intertwined materials, and subject them to monotonic and cyclic loading. Data generated from the experiments will be used to calibrate the computational models. Overall, this research will result in novel optimal designs of intertwined materials, whose properties will be demonstrated in both simulations and experiments.

The position is available immediately. This project will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Dennis Kochmann, Dr. Konstantinos Karapiperis, and Dr. Kaoutar Radi.

• You have a background in mechanical engineering or related areas, with emphasis on continuum and computational mechanics
• Computer coding skills, and experience with both low-level (C, C++) and high-level (Python) languages are necessary
• Knowledge of high-performance computing and parallelization is an advantage
• Experience with 3D-printing, and basic experimental techniques is beneficial, but not a requirement
• You prefer working in a multi-disciplinary environment. You will be expected to work independently, but also closely collaborate with experts in modeling and experimentation
• You are comfortable communicating in English and enjoy working in an international environment

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to an exciting working environment, cultural diversity and attractive offers and benefits.