Corrosion Pits as Growing Notches: A New Paradigm for Corrosion–Fatigue Interaction

About the Project

Project Description:

The College of Business, Technology and Engineering draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. The vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering business, materials, computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry.

This project is part of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship scheme, in which the successful applicant will undertake certain teaching duties associated with the student experience, in addition to working towards a PhD qualification. They will contribute up to 180 hours of support for research or teaching related activity per academic year. This activity forms part of the scholarship and there is no additional payment.

PhD Research Topic:

We are seeking a motivated and curious PhD researcher to join an exciting project aimed at transforming how engineers predict the fatigue life of metals exposed to corrosive environments.

Fatigue accounts for the vast majority of structural failures, and corrosion can reduce fatigue life by up to 90%, leading to major safety risks, costly shutdowns, and unpredictable failures. Despite decades of research, accurately predicting the fatigue life of corroded metals remains one of the biggest unsolved challenges in the field.

About the Project

You will develop a pioneering modelling framework that treats corrosion pits as evolving notches. Corrosion pits do not remain fixed: they deepen, widen, branch, and change geometry in ways that directly influence local stresses and fatigue behaviour. Current fatigue-life models rarely capture this complexity. This project proposes a novel paradigm in which pit growth is dynamically integrated into a numerical fatigue-damage model, enabling far more accurate prediction of structural deterioration under real service conditions.

What You Will Do

• Conduct accelerated corrosion–fatigue tests and characterise pit evolution using a range of analytical techniques including SEM, 3D optical microscopy, nanoindentation, and electrochemical techniques.
• Develop FE‑based models in ANSYS® to simulate pit growth and progressive fatigue damage.
• Validate and refine a predictive corrosion–fatigue life model using experimental datasets.
• Disseminate findings through conferences, journals, and industry engagement.

Who We’re Looking For

Applicants should have a background in mechanical engineering, materials science, corrosion, structural integrity, or a related discipline. Experience with finite‑element analysis is helpful but training will be provided. Most importantly, you should be keen to work at the intersection of experiments, modelling, and real‑world engineering challenges.

Why Join Us?

You’ll be part of an active research team with strong industry links and access to advanced testing facilities. Your work will contribute directly to improving the safety and sustainability of critical infrastructure across energy, transport, and aerospace sectors.

Why this PhD matters

Your work will contribute directly to improving the safety and sustainability of critical infrastructure, helping to prevent failures, reduce economic loss, and extend the life of vital engineering systems. You will join an active research team with strong industrial links and opportunities for publication, conference participation, and international collaboration.

If you are motivated by impactful research that bridges experimental work, advanced modelling, and industry relevance, this PhD offers an exceptional opportunity to make a genuine contribution to the field.

Eligibility

Applicants should hold at least a 1st or 2:1 Honours degree in mechanical engineering, materials science, corrosion science, structural integrity, computational modelling or a related discipline.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals from groups underrepresented in postgraduate research, including but not limited to women, LGBTQ+, and minoritised ethnic groups.

Information for international applicants

English language requirements of IELTS 7 with a minimum score of 6.5 in all test areas (or equivalent) are mandatory if English is not your first language. Qualifications should have been taken within the last two years.

How to apply

To apply for this GTA scholarship, please use our online application form.

You must ensure that you upload:

1. A personal statement (up to 2 pages maximum) detailing your interest in the project and how your experience in academia, industry, research or social activities makes you the best candidate (Please upload this in place of a proposal). We’re looking for evidence of:
   • motivation and curiosity for postgraduate research
   • analytical and technical expertise related to the research proposal
   • ability to communicate clearly
   • planning and organisational skills
   • ability to work independently and collaborate with others
   • commitment to integrity and responsible research
   • resilience to setbacks and challenges
   • where you might contribute to teaching
2. Two letters of reference, or details of two referees, at least one from an academic and both dated within the last 2 years
3. Copy of your highest degree certificate
4. Non-UK applicants must submit IELTS results (or equivalent) taken in the last two years and a copy of their passport

If you are applying for multiple GTA projects, please clearly list them all in your application. You will need to submit a tailored personal statement for each project.

Application deadline: 07 May 2026

Start date: October 2026

Interviews: TBC

Funding Notes

The GTA scholarship is for 3.5 years of full-time study and provides tuition fees at both the UK (home) and international level plus a maintenance bursary in line with guidance from UK Research and Innovation and the Living Wage Foundation (for illustrative purposes, the Sheffield Hallam University bursary for 25/26 is £22152). GTA scholarships are open to both UK (home) and international applicants.