Are you interested in using data, sensors and artificial intelligence to solve real engineering problems?

We're offering an exciting PhD opportunity on the development of new smart monitoring systems for infrastructure such as bridges, wind turbines, offshore structures, and transport assets. This project is ideal for students who enjoy engineering, mathematics, computing, or data analysis and want to work on research with clear real-world impact.

Why this project matters

Structures such as bridges, towers, wind turbines, and offshore platforms are expected to operate safely for many years, often in harsh and changing environments. They face traffic loads, wind, waves, temperature changes, ageing, and damage over time. Because of this, it is not always easy to know when a structure is performing well and when it may need attention.

Modern monitoring systems use sensors to measure how structures move and vibrate. These data can tell us a lot, but in practice the signals are often noisy, conditions keep changing, and traditional analysis methods do not always work well outside controlled settings.

This PhD will explore a new way of monitoring structures using adaptive artificial intelligence. Instead of using one fixed method from start to finish, the system will learn how to choose the most suitable analysis approach as conditions change. The aim is to create smarter monitoring tools that can better support safety, maintenance, and engineering decision-making.

What the project is about

This research will develop intelligent monitoring tools that can interpret data collected from real structures. The project combines ideas from structural engineering, vibration analysis, signal processing, probability, and AI.

In simple terms, you'll work on methods that help answer questions such as:

1. How can we use sensor data to understand whether a structure is behaving normally?
2. How can we detect important changes when the data are noisy or conditions are changing?
3. How can AI help choose the best analysis method automatically?
4. How can we make these decisions in a reliable way when there is uncertainty?

The long-term goal is to create monitoring systems that are not only automated, but also trustworthy and adaptable in real engineering environments.

As a PhD student, you'll be working at the intersection of AI, structural dynamics, sensing, data analysis, and infrastructure safety. You'll develop new algorithms and tools for smart infrastructure monitoring and your work may include:

• developing methods to extract useful information from vibration and sensor data
• using probabilistic and Bayesian models to deal with uncertainty in the data
• designing AI-based systems that can adapt and choose between different analysis methods
• testing the methods using simulations, benchmark datasets, and laboratory or controlled

Why this PhD is a great opportunity

This project will give you the chance to work on a highly relevant research area with strong links to the future of intelligent infrastructure and digital engineering. You will develop skills in:

• artificial Intelligence and machine learning
• sensor data analysis
• signal processing
• probabilistic modelling
• scientific computing
• infrastructure safety and resilience

These skills are valuable in both academia and industry, including careers in engineering consultancy, infrastructure management, energy, transport, digital twins, and advanced monitoring technologies.

Why Strathclyde?

The University of Strathclyde offers a strong and supportive research environment with international expertise in risk, uncertainty, intelligent infrastructure, and digital engineering. You'll join an active research group and work on a project with both scientific depth and clear practical importance.

This is an opportunity to contribute to safer, smarter, and more resilient infrastructure while building a powerful set of technical skills for your future career.