College of Engineering and Built Environment
PhD Scholarship 2015 Project
Lead supervisor name &
contact details:
Name: Dr. Gareth O’Donnell
Tel. +353 1 402 2915
Email: gareth.odonnell@dit.ie
Research Centre / Institute
Name and Website (if
applicable)
Not applicable
Scholarship Details
The stipend is €10,000 per annum. The cost of EU academic
fee will be covered for the duration of the scholarship. NonEU applicants are eligible to take up the scholarships, but
they will be required to fund the fee differential. Schools will
make available a desk space, PC along with a modest bursary
for travel, conferences and some limited materials.
Subject Area
New Materials & Devices
Title of the Project
Novel Surface Peening Processing for Improved Fatigue
Strength and Surface Protection of Metallic-based
Components
Project Abstract
Currently shot-peening is used extensively to improve fatigue strength for components which
experience cyclic mechanical loading conditions such as automotive suspension springs and
dynamic hot-section turbine engine components. This process can have the added benefit of
creating a surface finish which is more resistant to wear and corrosion mechanisms. Shotpeening involves the generation of residual compressive stress on the surface of components by
micro-scale plastic deformation in the form of cratering, which in turn mitigates the generation
and subsequent propagation of fatigue induced cracks.
It is envisaged that an alternative roll/press-peening processing, which is the subject of this study,
can be used to produce the same and potentially better fatigue strength, wear and corrosion
resistances than the traditional and less environmentally sound shot-peening processing. This
project entails the systematic and rigorous investigation of the processing factors which influence
the peening process. Subsequently, with the use of validated numerical modelling and
systematic process design, the roll/press-peening process is developed so that experimental
testing can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the process to enhance fatigue
characteristics and both wear and corrosion resistance, ultimately resulting in a proof of this
proposed roll/press-peening process concept.
The research question being addressed is as follows:
Can a roll/press-peening process be developed to replace and improve on the traditional shotpeening process from the point of view of processing cost, environmental impact, fatigue
strength improvement and both wear and corrosion resistances?
Please indicate the student requirements for this project
Min. 2.1 BSc (honour) or BEng (honours) in Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Science, or a
closely related area.
Deadline to submit
applications (only for funded
projects)
5.00pm, 17th Sept, 2015