Ph.D. call - Doctoral School in Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering - University of Trento, Italy

- Reference persons: Oreste S. Bursi (UNITN/DICAM), Gabriele Zanon (UNITN/DICAM) (oreste.bursi@unitn.it - gabriele.zanon@unitn.it)

C1 - scholarship on reserved topics

https://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/1954/announcement-of-selection

Funded by: University of Trento – Department DICAM

Title: Modeling and testing of welded structural joints machined with laser cutting technology

Laser cutting represents a modern and effective technology able to complement and/or replace well-established mechanical and thermal processes. The importance of this technology is undeniable to make joints characterized by complex geometry like those realized using circular hollow section elements.  As a result, time, cost and quality of laser cutting technology greatly affect further processing and, thus, the overall labor cost.

While exhibiting undoubted technical/practical benefits, the interaction between laser cutting and subsequent welding process on structural behaviour of joints has not yet been fully explored.

Hence, the study of thermal processes and structural behaviour taking into account both geometrical and metallurgical aspects, are still the subject of depth study and of strong interest, especially in the field of structural steels subjected both low-cycle and high-cycle fatigue loadings.

Both strength and ductility requirements, especially versus non linear behaviour of joints subjected to cyclic loadings, as highlighted by Eurocode 3 Part 1-8, demand a thorough study on the modifications induced by thermal processes on structural steels joints.

On this basis, in order to optimize both geometry and thermal processes parameters, the candidate has to carry out a series of standard and advanced tests on both materials and structural joints as well as FE analyses at the material and geometry level.

Both the thorough study of the effects due to thermal processes used to realize structural joints and the study of joint geometries allows for the optimization of the geometries and thermal processes. The outcome of the research activity will consist in technical reports and journal papers.