DU
Digital Twin and AI-Driven Modelling of Seabed Mobility for Offshore Infrastructure
✓ Fully Funded
🎓 Civil Engineering
🎓 Computer Vision
🎓 Data Science
🎓 Geoscience
🎓 Geotechnical Engineering
🎓 Geotechnology
🎓 Machine Learning
🎓 Marine Geology
🎓 Mechanics
🎓 Offshore Engineering
digital twin
numerical modelling
AI modelling
experimental testing
marine geohazards
offshore infrastructure
risk assessment
scouring
seabed mobility
trenching
This PhD develops a digital twin enhanced with interpretable AI to model seabed mobility around offshore wind infrastructure, integrating laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, and environmental data to predict and mitigate risks to foundations and subsea cables.
Project Description
The expansion of offshore wind and subsea cable networks increasingly exposes infrastructure to dynamic seabed conditions, including scouring and trenching, which can compromise the safety and longevity of foundations and cables. This project will:
Develop a digital twin framework that integrates AI and data from advanced sensors
Conduct novel laboratory experiments to replicate seabed-structure interactions
Apply multiphase and multiscale numerical and mathematical modelling
Predict seabed mobility and associated environmental impacts under varying operational conditions
Provide actionable insights for geohazard mitigation and offshore infrastructure management
Training will cover experimental techniques, numerical modelling, offshore soil mechanics, and marine geohazard risk assessment, preparing the student for applied roles in the offshore wind sector.
Entry Requirements
First-class Honours degree, 2:1 plus Masters, or Masters with Distinction in Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science, Physics, or Mathematics and Statistics
English proficiency: IELTS 7.0 overall (min 6.0 in each skill)
Open to international applicants
Guaranteed interview scheme for eligible home students from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds
English proficiency: IELTS 7.0 overall (min 6.0 in each skill)
Open to international applicants
Guaranteed interview scheme for eligible home students from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds
How to Apply
Applications submitted to Durham University via the Offshore Wind CDT website. Rolling application for September 2026 entry; early submission encouraged.
Eligibility
UK/Home
EU
International
Supervisor Profile
DW
Dr Wangcheng Zhang, Prof Stuart McLelland
Durham University, Offshore Wind CDT
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