Wind & Marine Energy Systems & Structures (WAMESS CDT)
Wind & Marine Energy Systems & Structures
The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Wind and Marine Energy Systems and Structures (WAMESS CDT) is a collaboration between the Universities of Oxford, Strathclyde, and Edinburgh. The WAMESS CDT is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and a range of industrial partners including E.ON, Fugro, Ørsted, RWE Renewables, and Siemens.
All students on the WAMESS CDT course undertake a comprehensive programme of taught modules, as well as an individual doctoral research project. Further details can be found on the course page on the University’s graduate admissions website.
The WAMESS CDT will admit five cohorts of research students from 2019 to 2023. The main research areas in the Oxford stream of the CDT are geotechnical engineering and fluid mechanics, though applications that link with other areas of civil engineering relevant to offshore renewable energy (e.g. structural dynamics, structural health monitoring) are also welcome.
The geotechnical research group at Oxford currently has a strong focus on foundations for offshore wind turbines and other offshore renewables, with research areas spanning numerical and theoretical modelling, laboratory testing of soils and foundations, field testing, and development of design guidance. The group has close relationships with industry, including collaborations with most of the UK's main wind farm developers through recent joint industry projects such as PISA and ALPACA, and the current Ørsted-funded PICASO project.
Our fluid mechanics activities in offshore renewable energy include tidal stream and wind energy research, with current interests spanning whole wind and tidal farm modelling, extreme waves and wave interactions with offshore structures, tidal turbine design including novel concepts, constructive turbine interference and unsteady loading. This research is supported through access to High Performance Computing facilities and a new state of the art combined current and wave flume.
A number of fully-funded DPhil studentships are available for outstanding applicants. These studentships cover living expenses and course fees (at UK level) and are generally advertised from October each year (search “WAMESS” on the jobs.ac.uk website). Prospective applicants are welcome to contact the Oxford Co-Director of the WAMESS CDT, Prof. Chris Martin.
