PhD in mechanical engineering

This project investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviour of laser-sintered lunar regolith. Combining advanced microscopy, nano-/micro-mechanical testing, and graph neural network modelling, the research will uncover how glass formation and pore topology control strength, enabling predictive design of next-generation regolith-based building materials./nBuilding structures on the Moon or Mars is no longer science fiction, it is an engineering frontier. Future space missions will require infrastructure built in situ from local materials, rather than transporting heavy supplies from Earth. Laser and solar sintering of lunar regolith (the dust and rock covering the Moon’s surface) offers a revolutionary path to fabricate landing pads, shelters, and roads directly on extraterrestrial terrain./nHowever, sintered regolith forms a complex glass–crystal composite with irregular pores and melt necks, and its mechanical performance remains poorly understood. Unlocking how these microstructures control strength and stiffness is essential before this technology can be trusted for real construction beyond Earth./nThis PhD project aims to decode the process–microstructure–property relationships in laser-sintered regolith and develop AI-assisted predictive models for their mechanical behaviour. Working with samples produced under controlled laser parameters, the student will characterise phase assemblage, glass formation, pore morphology, and micromechanical properties using advanced tools such as SEM/BSE, X-ray CT, nanoindentation, and micro-pillar compression. These results will form the foundation of a graph neural network (GNN) that learns how microstructural descriptors govern stiffness and strength, enabling predictive and interpretable design of regolith-based building materials./nThe project bridges materials science, mechanics, and artificial intelligence, positioning the student at the cutting edge of space manufacturing and sustainable infrastructure research—pioneering materials that could one day support human life on the Moon.