PhD in Naval and Industrial Engineering

2023/2024

What you learn

The program is multidisciplinary and covers both technical, organizational and management aspects. Mechanical processes, structural design, automation and process control, the manufacture and use of new materials and components, energy and chemical processes, generation, transportation and use of energy, naval architecture and propulsion represent some Of the fields covered by the doctoral program.

Research groups and lines:

PROTERM (THERMAL AND REOLOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS):

      
  • Thermal and rheological properties of materials   
  • Energy efficiency: hygrothermal regulation in buildings

    LAIL (LASER INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION LABORATORY):

        
    • Elementary Analysis in Industrial Processes   
    • Non-destructive testing   
    • Joining and reloading processes

      LIM (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY):   

    • Applications of multibody dynamics to biomechanics   
    • Applications of multibody dynamics to automotive   
    • Applications of multi-body system dynamics to assembly and disassembly processes   
    • Applications of multibody dynamics to the naval and oceanic industry

      CIM (SCIENCE AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING)

          
      • Tribological Behavior of Metallic Materials

        PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ENGINEERING GROUP (GRIDP):

            
        • Sustainability in construction. Assessment of sustainability. Quantitative models. Sustainable project of buildings. Managing the sustainability objective in projects.   
        • Energy. Assessment of the sustainability of the different types of power production plants. Renewable energy. Energy planning. Risk analysis. Gas engineering.   
        • Project management. Management of uncertainty and risk. Recruitment management. Decision support systems.

          SISTER (THERMAL SYSTEMS AND HEAT TRANSFER)

              
          • Boiling, simulation of thermal systems, design and simulation of compact heat exchangers, heat transfer in biphasic flow   
          • Equilibrium between phases, physical properties, boiling, ionic liquids, absorption refrigeration, nanoparticles   
          • Optical techniques for flow measurements, phase doppler anemometry, laser doppler velocimetry, particle image velocimetry, hot wire anemometry, atomized jets, diesel jets, biphasic flow   
          • Cooling, heat transfer   
          • CFD, boiling, heat transfer   
          • Simulation of thermal systems, design and simulation of compact heat exchangers

            LAE (STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS LABORATORY)

                
            • Dynamic and Seismic Analysis   
            • Numerical simulation by finite elements   
            • Structural Analysis   
            • Three-dimensional semi-rigid joints   
            • Cold formed elements   
            • Sustainable steel construction

              GII (INTEGRATED GROUP OF ENGINEERING)

                  
              • Optimization and design in the field of naval and industrial engineering   
              • Instrumentation and processing of images and signals   
              • Simulation, automation and robotics   
              • Organization, security and quality of companies, industries, services and processes

Generic skills

BASIC COMPETENCES

      
  • Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to that field.   
  • Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.   
  • Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.   
  • Ability to perform a critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.   
  • Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages ​​commonly used in their international scientific community.   
  • Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural advancement within a knowledge-based society.

    PERSONAL CAPACITIES AND SKILLS

        
    • Develop in contexts where there is little specific information.   
    • Find the key questions to answer to solve a complex problem.   
    • Design, create, develop and undertake innovative and innovative projects in your area of ​​expertise.   
    • Work both in a team and autonomously in an international or multidisciplinary context.   
    • Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgments with limited information.   
    • Critical and intellectual defense of solutions.

Specific skills

OTHER COMPETENCES

      
  • Foster communication with the productive environment   
  • Fostering academic and research collaborations   
  • Encourage group work.   
  • Knowledge of the new trends of the research object of the thesis.   
  • Knowledge of the specific techniques that apply to it.   
  • Culture of continuous training or personal updating of knowledge.   
  • Acquire skills to transfer knowledge and technologies to the industry.   
  • Continued search for innovative improvements in the naval and industrial sectors.   
  • Advanced training in research techniques   
  • Know how to synthesize the state of the art.   
  • Acquire a culture of innovation.

Professional and academic career

Professional and academic career

Naval

Shipyards and other companies interested in floating devices, their propulsion system and other auxiliary systems. Installation, operation and maintenance of oil rigs. Offshore wind farm. Research institutes. Universities. Teachers of secondary education.

Industrial

Companies dedicated to: Electronics and Automation, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Environment, Energy Techniques, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Construction, Industrial Organization and Manufacturing. Research institutes. Universities. Teachers of secondary education.

Research lines

This are the main research lines for current study.

  • Análisis dinámico y sísmico
  • Análisis elemental en procesos industriales
  • Análisis estructural
  • Aplicaciones de la dinámica de sistemas multicuerpo a la automoción
  • Aplicaciones de la dinámica de sistemas multicuerpo a la biomecánica
  • Aplicaciones de la dinámica de sistemas multicuerpo a la industria naval y oceánica
  • Aplicaciones de la dinámica de sistemas multicuerpo a los procesos de ensamblaje y desensamblaje
  • CFD, ebullición, transferencia de calor
  • Comportamiento tribológico de materiales metálicos
  • Construcción sostenible en acero
  • desarrollo de CFD aplicados a la hidrodinámica de buques
  • Dirección de proyectos (alcance, plazo, coste, calidad, contratación, riesgo, integración). Gestión de la incertidumbre y el riesgo. Análisis de la incertidumbre y el riesgo. Gestión de la contratación. Sistemas de apoyo en la decisión.
  • Ebullición, simulación de sistemas térmicos, proyecto y simulación de intercambiadores de calor compactos, transferencia de calor en flujo bifásico
  • Eficiencia energética: regulación higrotérmica en las edificaciones
  • Elementos conformados en frío
  • Energía: Parques eólicos, parques solares, minicentrales hidroeléctricas, planificación energética, análisis de tiesgos, inteniería del gas.
  • Ensayos no destructivos
  • Equilibrio entre fases, propiedades físicas, ebullición, líquidos iónicos, refrigeración por absorción, nanopartículas
  • Instrumentación y tratamiento de imágenes y señales
  • Materiales híbridos y bioinspirados
  • Optimización de formas de buques mediante ensayos experimentales
  • Optimización y diseño en el ámbito de las ingenierías naval e industrial
  • Organización, seguridad y calidad de empresas, industrias, servicios y procesos
  • Procesos de unión y recargue
  • Propiedades térmicas y reológicas de materiales
  • Refrigeración, transferencia de calor
  • Simulación de sistemas térmicos, proyecto y simulación de intercambiadores de calor compactos
  • Simulación numérica por elementos finitos
  • Simulación, automatización y robótica
  • Sostenibilidad en la construcción: evaluación de la sostenibilidad, modelos cuantitativos, proyecto sostenible de edificaciones.
  • Técnicas ópticas para medidas de flujo, phase doppler anemometry, laser doppler velocimetry, particle image velocimetry, hot wire anemometry, chorros atomizados, chorros diesel, flujo bifásico
  • Uniones semi-rígidas tridimensionales

Planning for teaching

Additional subject teaching

Candidates who do not meet all the necessary prior learning conditions for the programme may be required to complete additional courses in the form of subjects and modules from UDC Master’s and undergraduate programmes. The number of credits from additional subject teaching will not exceed 15 ECTS credits, which students may choose to complete before or after enrolment in the PhD programme.

Students who do not opt to complete additional coursework prior to enrolment should register for their extra subjects or modules at the same time as the PhD. Failure to complete additional coursework within a period of three consecutive terms will result in the termination of the student’s registration.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 16: Applications.

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

Programme-specific teaching and training activities

Seminar of 3 hours per quarter.

Supervision agreement

The PhD supervision agreement defines the academic relationship between the candidate and the University, the rights and responsibilities of each (including any intellectual and/or industrial property rights resulting from the candidate’s research), the procedures in place in relation to conflict resolution, and the duration of the agreement. It also specifies the duties of the PhD tutor and supervisor.

The supervision agreement must be signed by the candidate, tutor and designated university representative (or representatives) within a maximum period of one month as from the date of registration. The supervisor’s signature may be added subsequently, once a supervisor has been appointed.

When the document has been signed by all the relevant parties, the agreement is then added to the candidate’s record of activities.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 31: Supervision agreement.

Research plan

The candidate must prepare a research plan within six months of registration, with information regarding methodology, objectives, resources and milestones. The research plan is submitted together with the report of the supervisor and/or tutor for approval by the Academic Committee for PhD Programmes (CAPD). Improvements to the plan may be introduced with the approval of the supervisor and/or tutor based on the annual review of the student’s research progress.

Research plans are subject to annual review by the CAPD, including the report(s) of the supervisor and/or tutor and the candidate’s record of activities. Students will be permitted to continue with their studies if the outcome of the review is satisfactory. If the outcome is negative, the student will be required to submit a new plan within a period of six months. If the committee is still not satisfied, the candidate will be removed from the programme.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 30: Research plan.

Student mobility

UDC holds student mobility agreements with universities and other third-level institutions across four continents. Students are offered several opportunities each year to apply to study abroad in one of these centres (for a single term or for a whole year), with the guarantee that all credits obtained will be duly recognised in their academic record upon their return.

For each round of applications, the University publishes the list of exchange options available to students and, where relevant, the specific conditions associated with each. Students may also apply to the University for funding for international work experience placements and internships.

Work experience placements are accredited in the student's academic record and the European diploma supplement. Students are free to decide in which host company or academic institution within the EHEA they wish to carry out their placement. To assist them in their search, the University has created an online noticeboard with jobs postings and other news.

Work-study placements in A Coruña are arranged by the International Relations Office (ORI) of the UDC in collaboration with the international relations coordinators in the student’s home university. The general entry criteria, rights and obligations of students, and admission and acceptance procedures for the programme, are regulated by the UDC Mobility Policy.