Microscale investigation of hydro-mechanical properties of subsurface rock

About the Project

These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.

Hydro-mechanical properties of porous rock are fundamental to the success and safety of various subsurface engineering applications. These include the extraction of geo-resources (e.g., geothermal energy, hydrocarbons), the long-term integrity of underground gas storage (hydrogen or CO2 and the secure containment of nuclear waste. These processes are defined by the complex interaction between fluid pressure and solid skeleton deformation under high in-situ stress environments. Traditionally, researchers have relied on discrete medium models or continuous medium models to simulate seepage-stress coupling. While effective at the macro-scale, these approaches often simplify the underlying physics by treating the rock as a homogeneous continuum or a collection of simplified geometries. This oversight masks the critical role of pore-scale architecture. There is currently a significant knowledge gap regarding how micro-scale heterogeneity—such as pore throat constriction and grain-to-grain contact mechanics—governs the macroscopic response of the rock mass.

With the rapid evolution of non-destructive characterization, image-based modeling has emerged as a cornerstone for evaluating the transport and constitutive behaviour of complex geomaterials. To date, these techniques have been used extensively to simulate the effective mechanical and fluid flow properties of diverse formations (Li et al., 2024; Yang et al., 2026). These studies have successfully demonstrated the capability of permeability and elastic moduli calculation without the destructive nature of traditional testing. However, a critical limitation in current literature is that most models assume a static pore geometry or focus on porous media deformation at lower stress levels (Li et al., submitted), where the linear elastic response dominates. In deep subsurface environments, rocks are subjected to significant triaxial stresses that trigger non-linear pore collapse, grain crushing, and fracture closure—mechanisms that fundamentally alter the pathways for fluid migration. The primary aim of this project is to bridge this gap by establishing a robust understanding of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of subsurface rock at the micro-scale. This will be achieved through the combined usage of advanced micro-CT imaging and image-based simulation under real-time in-situ stress conditions.

Decisions will be based on academic merit. The successful applicant should have, or expect to obtain, a UK Honours Degree at 2.1 (or equivalent) in Engineering.

Application Procedure:

Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php.

You should apply for PhD in Engineering to ensure your application is passed to the correct team for processing.

Please clearly note the name of the lead supervisor and project title on the application form. If you do not include these details, it may not be considered for the studentship.

Your application must include: A personal statement, an up-to-date copy of your academic CV, and clear copies of your educational certificates and transcripts.

Please note: you do not need to provide a research proposal with this application.

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting Dr Y Zhou at yingfang.zhou@abdn.ac.uk. If you require any additional assistance in submitting your application or have any queries about the application process, please don't hesitate to contact us at researchadmissions@abdn.ac.uk

Funding Notes

This is a self-funding project open to students worldwide. Our typical start dates for this programme are February or October.

Fees for this programme can be found here Finance and Funding | Study Here | The University of Aberdeen