PhD Studentdship: Design, Modelling and Experimental Investigation of Inflatable and Multistable Mechanical Metamaterials

Research Studentship in Engineering

3.5-year DPhil studentship 

Project: Design, Modelling and Experimental Investigation of Inflatable and Multistable Mechanical Metamaterials

Supervisor: Prof Antonio Elia Forte

Mechanical metamaterials derive their properties from their internal architecture, offering opportunities to create structures with programmable shape, stiffness and load-bearing capacity. This project will investigate metamaterials formed from inflatable and multistable units, exploring how geometry, internal pressure and interactions between units control their collective mechanical response. Particular emphasis will be placed on designing structures that switch between distinct stable configurations, with the aim of achieving controlled deployment and shape retention.

The project draws on recent advances in vacuum–laser fabrication of programmable soft actuators and reconfigurable inflatables through controlled surface crumpling. These studies demonstrate how fabrication methods and mechanical instabilities can be used to programme the deformation and reconfiguration of inflatable structures.

Based in the RADlab within the University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science, the student will combine hands-on fabrication and mechanical testing with nonlinear finite-element analysis, reduced-order modelling and design optimisation. Experimental work will include fabricating inflatable units and assemblies, measuring their deformation and force response, and characterising switching behaviour, load-bearing capacity and repeatability. Computational models will explain the underlying mechanics and guide subsequent designs. Together, these approaches will establish how buckling, snap-through and interactions between units can be harnessed to create reconfigurable materials and deployable structures.

Eligibility

This studentship is funded through the Department of Engineering Science and is open to Home students (full award – home fees plus stipend).

Award Value

Course fees are covered at the level set for Home students c. £10,940 p.a. The stipend (tax-free maintenance grant) is c. £21,805 p.a. for the first year, and at least this amount for a further two and a half years.

Candidate Requirements

Prospective candidates will be judged according to how well they meet the following criteria:

• A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Applied Mathematics or a closely related discipline.
• Excellent English written and spoken communication skills.
• A strong interest in mechanics, fabrication and experimental research, intellectual curiosity and the ability to work independently.

The following skills are highly desirable but not essential:

• Ability to program in MATLAB or Python.
• Experience with finite-element analysis or reduced-order modelling.
• Knowledge of solid mechanics, nonlinear deformation or structural stability.
• Experience in CAD, rapid prototyping or the fabrication of soft devices.
• Experience in mechanical testing, instrumentation or experimental data analysis.
• Familiarity with mechanical metamaterials, inflatable structures, multistable systems or soft robotics.

Candidates with strengths in either computational or experimental mechanics are encouraged to apply, with a willingness to develop skills in both.

Application Procedure

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be addressed to Prof Antonio Elia Forte (antonio.forte@eng.ox.ac.uk).

Candidates must submit a graduate application form and are expected to meet the graduate admissions criteria. Details are available on the course page of the University website.

Please quote 27ENGMM_AF in all correspondence and in your graduate application.

Application deadline: noon on 2 December 2026 (In line with the University admissions deadline set by the University)

Start date: October 2027.