Full-time study

4 years

prof. Ing. Jiří Burša, Ph.D.

Chairman :
prof. Ing. Jiří Burša, Ph.D.
Councillor internal :
prof. Ing. Luboš Náhlík, Ph.D.
doc. Ing. Jaroslav Katolický, Ph.D.
prof. Ing. Jindřich Petruška, CSc.
prof. Ing. Miroslav Raudenský, CSc.
prof. Ing. Ivo Dlouhý, CSc.
doc. Ing. Robert Grepl, Ph.D.
prof. RNDr. Michal Kotoul, DrSc.

The study programme in Applied Mechanics is focused on the preparation of highly qualified experts with the prerequisites for scientific work, mastering modern computational and experimental methods in the field of body mechanics, including specific areas of mechatronics and biomechanics. The aim of the study is to provide students with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the field of mechanics corresponding to the topic of doctoral studies. To achieve the set goals and profile, students complete the subjects prescribed by their Individual Study Plan, which creates a theoretical basis for mastering the topic at the highest level. They then prove their practical mastery of the topic by passing the State Doctoral Examination and preparing and defending the Doctoral Dissertation.

Graduates of the doctoral program Applied Mechanics have highly specialized professional knowledge and competencies, especially in modern computational and experimental methods in the field of applied mechanics, or mechatronics or biomechanics, and their use in research and development in technical and medical. At the same time, it has professional adaptability, which gives great chances for employment in research and development, as well as in the field of technical calculations and managerial positions. This is evidenced by graduates working not only in academia and private research, but also in small computer and software companies, including leadership and management positions in design, computing and development departments or sales offices of international companies. With the penetration of computer modelling and support into the field of medicine, the application of biomechanics can be expected not only in this interdisciplinary sphere of research and development, but also in newly emerging positions of computer support in hospitals and clinical workplaces.

The graduate of the doctoral programme in Applied Mechanics has highly specialized professional knowledge, but also professional adaptability, which gives great opportunities for employment in research and development, as well as in the field of technical calculations and managerial positions. This is evidenced by graduates working not only in academia and private research, but also in small computer and software companies, including leadership and management positions in design, computing and development departments or sales offices of international companies. With the penetration of computer modelling and support into the field of medicine, the application of biomechanics can be expected not only in this interdisciplinary sphere of research and development, but also in newly emerging positions of computer support in hospitals and clinical workplaces.

See applicable regulations, DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)

The rules and conditions of study programmes are determined by:
BUT STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES
BUT STUDY PROGRAMME STANDARDS,
STUDY AND EXAMINATION RULES of Brno University of Technology (USING "ECTS"),
DEAN’S GUIDELINE Rules for the organization of studies at FME (supplement to BUT Study and Examination Rules)
DEAN´S GUIDELINE Rules of Procedure of Doctoral Board of FME Study Programmes
Students in doctoral programmes do not follow the credit system. The grades “Passed” and “Failed” are used to grade examinations, doctoral state examination is graded “Passed” or “Failed”.

Brno University of Technology acknowledges the need for equal access to higher education. There is no direct or indirect discrimination during the admission procedure or the study period. Students with specific educational needs (learning disabilities, physical and sensory handicap, chronic somatic diseases, autism spectrum disorders, impaired communication abilities, mental illness) can find help and counselling at Lifelong Learning Institute of Brno University of Technology. This issue is dealt with in detail in Rector's Guideline No. 11/2017 "Applicants and Students with Specific Needs at BUT". Furthermore, in Rector's Guideline No 71/2017 "Accommodation and Social Scholarship“ students can find information on a system of social scholarships.

The doctoral study programme in Applied Mechanics is a continuation of the currently accredited follow-up master's study programme in Applied Mechanics and Biomechanics. However, it focuses more generally on graduates of subsequent master's degree programmes in various fields of mechanics and mechatronics, or mathematical, physical or materials engineering, the graduates of which are able to continue in the third stage of study and obtain the scientific degree of Ph.D. demonstrate the ability of scientific work.

1. Application of TPMS structures for new types of heat exchangers

   Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) are porous cell-like structures that can be uniquely defined by a set of trigonometric functions, which by definition share the property of zero mean curvature with a significantly increased surface to volume ratio compared to conventional foam material. These unique properties lead to promising results in several application areas, and one of these areas is the improvement of heat transfer. This has created many opportunities for researchers to explore structures with complex geometries that are otherwise impossible to create using conventional manufacturing techniques. It is necessary to use mathematical descriptions, which must also be adjusted for the needs of creating complex shapes of heat exchangers. Another significant advantage of these structures is their self-supporting structure, which is suitable for additive manufacturing (3D printing) without the need for supports. A combination of modern design methods, unconventional production (3D printing) and also new progressive materials such as plastics with increased conductivity advances the design and actual production of possible exchangers to the present time and opens up further possibilities for investigating the use of the mentioned structures. The company Innomotics, s.r.o., (Siemens Large Drives s.r.o.), has shown interest in modern types of heat exchangers, for example. This company plans to use modern types of heat exchangers to meet the demanding requirements for efficient heat removal from electric motors and their other products.

   Tutor: Kotrbáček Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

2. Basic research on multiphase heat transfer in porous structures

   During heat treatment of metals, surface porous oxide structures are formed. It appears that understanding the heat transfer mechanism across these ostructures is a necessary aspect to ensure quality production of metal products. The student will develop a method for processing images of structures from a tomograph and electron microscope. The student will perform a 3D characterization of the structure and investigate its effect on heat transfer. The research will be conducted as part of the project Multiphase Heat Transfer from Porous Oxide Structures Formed on Metal at High Temperatures, 3/2024-12/2027. The international partners of the project are U.S. Steel and Arizona State University.

   Tutor: Raudenský Miroslav, prof. Ing., CSc.

3. Design of new spraying bars

   Spraying a hot surface with a water jet is a technological process very often used mainly in steel mills, the aim of which can be either the removal of unwanted scale layers on the steel surface, or the cooling of the surface. This process is very energy intensive and optimization can achieve the maximum effect with the minimum possible energy consumption. The properties of hydraulic sprays are influenced by a number of parameters. The task of the doctoral student will be to clarify and describe in detail the mechanisms describing the action of the water jet on the basis of a numerical model and experimental research. The spray parameters can then be optimized with regard to its efficiency and energy consumption.

   Tutor: Kotrbáček Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Development of spray systems for target applications using machine learning on internal database

   The Multiphase Fluid Mechanics Laboratory at FME has produced a significant amount of high quality image and numerical results on the behavior of various spray systems over the past decade. Currently, the department is working on several topics, most notably the development of spray systems for 1) nanoparticle surface applications and 2) CO2 capture. The goal of this work is to use this data, sort it, and process it in a way that is useful for the application of machine learning methods. Existing and new machine learning models will be used and developed to subsequently extract new insights into multiphase dispersive systems from existing and newly acquired data. These will enable the development and optimization of spray systems for both topics mentioned above. The topic of this thesis is multidisciplinary. It has full technical and material support, especially laboratory equipment, techniques and materials for experiments. Partial financial support of the student from the project is assumed. The topic is related to an existing or submitted research project. Several months internship at a foreign institution with the intention of strengthening international cooperation, participation in technical seminars and presentations at conferences are foreseen. The supervisor will be contacted by the applicant prior to admission to discuss the details of the study.

   Tutor: Jedelský Jan, prof. Ing., Ph.D.

5. Heat transfer from the interaction of external fluid flow with porous structures

   Exposure of metals to the ambient atmosphere results in the formation of metal oxides on their surface. This process is further enhanced at elevated temperatures, and the resulting microstructure is a porous structure filled with voids of varying sizes and shapes. Metal oxides are inevitable in many metallurgical processes. Knowledge of the thermal behavior of such a porous material is therefore essential. The student will develop a strategy to process CT images of the porous material into a 3D geometry suitable for modeling of physical phenomena using FVM. The student will develop a multiphase CFD model to investigate how the external fluid flow interacts with the porous structure. The numerical results will be supported by experimental investigations by his colleagues using their heat transfer measurement metric.

   Tutor: Boháček Jan, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

6. Heat treatment of 3D printed metal parts for aerospace

   Heat treatment of metal parts produced by additive manufacturing (3D printing) is an integral part of this production. The heat treatment of these parts is absolutely necessary to achieve a higher quality of the final product, which leads to an increase in its added value, which is crucial for the practice. The student will have the opportunity to participate in research on the heat treatment process of super alloys such as Titan and Inconel, intended for demanding conditions and in the field of aviation and cosmonautics (space industry). This topic is addressed in the framework of cooperation between organisations and companies such as ESA, Thales, AVIO and is currently being addressed in the ongoing NCK2 project.

   Tutor: Kotrbáček Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

7. Characteristics of dynamic vapor layer development during the cooling of hot steel surfaces

   This project deals with the experimental study of vapor layer development during the interaction of water flows on moving hot surface. Laminar cooling is tricky due to the existence of various boiling regimes. The lowest cooling intensity is in film boiling, where the water is isolated from the surface by a layer of steam. Layer thickness decreases as the surface temperature decreases until the layer is broken and rapid increase in cooling intensity follows (transient boiling). The rewetting temperature is dependent on the dynamics of the water flow on the surface. It is higher in the region under the water stream than between. This leads to local overcooling and undesirable heterogeneity in material properties. The water streams from the surrounding jets interact in the areas between the streams and influence the heat transfer mechanism. Articles deal with laminar cooling, mainly for cooling on a stationary surface, which is different to real-life applications. The heat transfer and fluid flow laboratory is equipped to study steam layers on surfaces through experimental research and simulations.

   Tutor: Hnízdil Milan, doc. Ing., Ph.D.