N/A
PhD offer
Full-time
2200€ / month
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
01/06/2026
This thesis proposal is part of an upstream project to improve the performance of so-called ‘dual-hardness’ armour, consisting of a ceramic layer (on the front face) and a composite layer (on the back face, known as the backing), as shown in Figure 1. The main function of the ceramic layer is to slow the progress of the impacting projectile by dissipating energy through fragmentation [Rahbek 2017, Shokrieh 2008, Colar 2013, Colar 2015]. The main function of the backing layer is to retain the ceramic fragments (non-perforation criterion) and to limit the penetration of the protection (penetration criterion). An adhesive is used to join these two materials. At present, this adhesive layer is not explicitly functionalised to contribute to the performance of the armour. One of the main objectives of this project is to understand and model the function of this layer to improve the armouring.
While it is essential to understand the modes of fragmentation of the front face under impact and the modes of backing failure, it is also necessary to consider the influence of adhesive strength on these failure modes. It is the breaking strength of the adhesive that provides the system with sufficient flexural rigidity to limit deflection of the rear face and prevent perforation of the backing layer by ceramic fragments. The adhesive also serves to hold the backing in place. It is also likely to be important to use coupled tests and calculations to understand whether the adhesive layer can help to improve the fragmentation of the ceramic layer. Another objective of this project is therefore to capitalise on the developments of the behaviour models developed during the previous AID ‘tri-layer’ project [Essongue 2022] and the DGA/ISL thesis of Tristan Camalet [Camalet 2020, Duplan 2020, Francart 2017], as well as the developments carried out in the partner laboratories concerning the behaviour of bonded interfaces [Lopez-Puente 2005, Lélias 2018, Jaillon 2019a 2019b, Planas 2024],
In addition, in the development of these protections, research into new materials and optimised assemblies to best satisfy the protection criteria (energy absorption, non-perforation of the backing, punching of the backing, reuse, multi-impact protection, recyclability and environment) is necessary. In this context, two identified partners (currently partners of ISAE-SUPAERO) Arkema for adhesives and St Gobain for protective materials (on the front face and for the backing) wish to participate in the project by supplying adhesive materials (Arkema) or new materials (Saint Gobain). This last point constitutes an opening objective of the project concerning the study of new front panel and backing materials.
The thesis work therefore follows on from these research activities in the field (work carried out at ISAE-SUPAERO/ICA in collaboration with ICUBE and ISL since 2017 (Thesis CAMALET / Post Doc ESSONGUE) and is more particularly interested in the influence of the fracture or holding properties of the adhesive on the modification of the fragmentation of the ceramic and the deflection/damage of the backing. The thesis work is also part of a theme concerning the high-speed modelling of the behaviour of materials and composite structures assembled by gluing (and/or bolting).
Use of AI algorithms and discrete modeling to improve control of a flexible parachute canopy during maneuvers
N/A
PhD offer
Full-time
~2000€ / month
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctorant
Context : The complexity and the unstable and uncertain non-linear nature of the response of large flexible parachute canopies, interacting with a surrounding fluid under the effect of manoeuvring actions, are obstacles for deterministic flight mechanics control models and algorithms. Conventional weakly or strongly coupled finite element simulation methods are costly and unstable, and cannot be used to improve their construction.
Project : To meet this modelling and simulation challenge, the team is developing a research code for structural calculations based on a discrete method [1]. This code is frugal in terms of calculation time and can be used to assess the influence of local effects of tissue deformation on manoeuvring forces. The aim of the thesis is to improve the existing tool to enable dialogue with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms [2,3] for the analysis of the stability and steerability of the sail. The aim of the thesis is to meet the ambition of getting the sciences of structural mechanics to communicate and interact with those of control and AI mathematical algorithms.
Seamless Integration of Models in a MBSE-MBSA-MDAO Co-Design Process
N/A
PhD offer
Full-time
2600€ / year
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
31/07/2026
The theme of the interoperability of model-based design and analysis approaches is one of our strong areas of research. This thesis is a continuation of the work carried out as part of the CONCORDE collaborative project between ONERA, ISAE and ENAC. The expected results should enable us to consolidate our advances in the field of synergy between models, and open up new collaborations using the planned laboratory platform.
laboratory platform.
Space Radiation Effects on Sub-micrometer Pixel and High-Resolution Advanced Image Sensors
N/A
PhD offer
Full-time
2600€ / year
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
ISAE-SUPAERO offers a PhD position in collaboration with a premium international consumer electronics maker. The project focuses on understanding and modeling space radiation effects on emerging CMOS image sensor technologies for next-generation space instrumentation.
Space instruments operate in environments where electronic devices are exposed to energetic particles from the Sun, planetary radiation belts, and cosmic rays. When these particles interact with semiconductor materials such as silicon, they can displace atoms from the crystal lattice, creating defects that alter the electrical properties of the device. In CMOS image sensors, these defects may generate excess dark current or noise.
With the continuous scaling of pixel dimensions toward the sub-micrometer range, the region affected by a radiation event can extend over several pixels, potentially impacting the performance of high-resolution imaging systems. Understanding and modeling these effects is therefore essential for the design of robust image sensors for future space missions.
This PhD will experimentally study and model these physical effects to predict the performance of next-generation imaging technologies in harsh space environments.
PhD ACTAM : Aeroacoustics of multi-axle landing gear
PhD offer
Full-time
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
This PhD proposes to investigate multi-axle landing gear noise generation mechanisms in order to propose innovative low-noise designs.
Cavitation in cryogenic fluids in microgravity conditions
N/A
PhD offer
Full-time
2100€ / month
Master's degree
Between 0 and 2 years
Doctoral student
01/03/2026
A PhD position is open in the Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory in collaboration with IMFT (institute de mécaniques des fluides des Toulouse)
Supervisors:
- Annafederica Urbano, professor, ISA-SUPAERO
- Sébastien Tanguy, professor, Université Paul Sabatier, IMFT
Technological context and scientific questions
During depressurization for propellant preconditioning (and cooling) prior to engine ignition or propellant transfer (in the context of space depots), bubbles can form and grow due to cavitation. This is a problem due to vapour accumulation under microgravity conditions and the impact on wall heat transfer. More generally, cavitation, under conditions where phase change predominates, is important for many applications (including nuclear power plants) and raises many questions that are not understood at the small scale.
This justifies the development of the SCREAMH2 microgravity wall cavitation experiment (currently in phase A/B development under an ESA contract), in which ISAE-SUPAERO is participating as part of the scientific team.
There are several scientific open questions regarding pool cavitation. It is unclear how the contact line phenomena (nano-region, wall roughness, cavity shape…), the level and dynamics of depressurization, and the nature of the fluid (pure or in the presence of non-condensable gas) impact the growth of these bubbles and the associated wall heat flux.
This thesis project aims to answer these questions by developing numerical models capable of accurately simulating pool cavitation, in parallel with the development of the SCREAMH2 experiment. The results will serve, on the one hand, as support for the experiment and, on the other hand, for its extension, particularly to configurations with multiple bubbles and in the presence of non-condensable gases.
Background
The present project is a continuation of the team’s recent work on the development of a solver for the direct numerical simulation of two-phase flows with phase change. The originality of the solver, based on a semi-implicit compressible projection method, lies in its thermodynamic consistency, which allows it to describe liquid, vapor, and saturation conditions at the interface for a generic fluid.
The solver has recently been extended to phase change in the presence of a contact line (solid, vapor, liquid) and validated for the simulation of nucleate boiling and pool cavitation. It has thus enabled parametric studies and model developments for bubble cavitation in microgravity at the wall. The models will be extended and generalized in this project.
This project aims to further develop the numerical solver and to use it to answer the scientific questions raised.
- Numerical development of the immersed boundary method [5] to include conjugate heat transfer and contact lines. After validation on basic test cases, configurations with complex geometries will need to be addressed. Initially, the simulation of CH4 pool cavitation used for validation in [4] will be reconsidered with the complex geometry (cylindrical support and cavity for the bubble).
- Incondensable gas. The solver will be extended to account for the presence of multi-species vapor and incondensable gases adsorption in the liquid while ensuring thermodynamic consistency at the interface. A surface tension model dependent on local composition will be developed, and the jump conditions will be adapted to take thermo-capillary effects into account. The model will need to be validated for simulation in the presence of Marangoni currents (using existing experimental data).
- Pool cavitation in micro-gravity. Several objectives will be pursued. The first will be to support the SCREAM H2 project with detailed numerical simulations. The second will be to extend the study of pool cavitation to many fluids, considering non-condensable gases and various geometric configurations. In particular, the phase change models developed in [4] will be extended and used to simulate multi-bubble configurations, the interaction between bubbles and their impact on wall heat transfer in microgravity.
Impact
While this project focuses on pool cavitation in microgravity, it is important to note that the developments envisaged are also intended to simulate and study other phenomena involving phase change in compressible flows in the presence of contact lines. These include 1) sloshing in tanks and 2) hydrodynamic cavitation with the development of cavitation pockets. It is planned to study such configurations towards the end of the thesis project, depending on how the project progresses.
Work environment
The PhD will be funded by CNES and will be hosted in the Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory at ISAE Supaero in collaboration with IMFT.
