The organizer of the MMS Master, the research group AMADE – “Analysis and Advanced Materials for Structural Design” from the University of Girona, is an interdisciplinary group involved in national and international research and transfer projects in collaboration with institutions like University of Porto – FEUP, NASA Langley Research Center, University of Sheffield, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, among others.

The nature of the research ranges from fundamental, exploratory research to very focused research targeted at the immediate needs of society/industry.

The research conducted starts with a deep knowledge of experimental behaviour of the new materials/structures combined with the development of robust and reliable computational tools to simulate the mechanical/structural behaviour.

The research programmes conducted are funded by a wide variety of sources such as the European Commission, the Spanish and/or Catalan Government, and by independent institutions or private companies like AIRBUS, the European Space Agency, EADS, and APPLUS, for example.

The research activity of the group has obtained a wide international recognition as illustrated by the impact of the publications of the group (the most cited articles in the last five years of the journal Engineering Fracture Mechanics and of the journal Mechanics of Materials).

The main lines of research of the AMADE group, that are also studied in MMS master, are summarized below:

  • Composite materials.  Unlike the case of traditional materials, design and mechanical behavior prediction in these materials is highly peculiar and requires specific expertise.
  • Simulation using numerical methods of the mechanical behavior of advanced materials. We develop behavior models that are implemented in numerical methods (finite elements) to obtain efficient design tools.
  • Experimental determination of the mechanical properties of materials and structures and their degradation (standardized tests or tests adapted to particular components).
  • Analysis, using conventional and advanced techniques, of the response of buildings and structural elements subjected to static and dynamic loads. Development and application of passive control elements in seismic resistant buildings.
  • Structural integrity analysis of buildings. Design of rehabilitation, repair and change-of-use strategies of a building.
  • Thermal analysis and thermal treatments of materials. Study of the transformation undergone by materials (polymers, metals and ceramics) using calorimetric methods.

Students that obtain the master degree in Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MMS) can apply for admission to the Doctoral Programme in Technology at the University of Girona provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS in their undergraduate and postgraduate studies at a university or other centre of higher education. The applications will be reviewed by the Doctoral Council of the programme.

The research group AMADE has been developing an intense research activity in the field of Composites since the late 90’s, balancing the fundamental investigations with the research on industrial applications of composites. AMADE is an excellent framework for the development of a Ph.D. due to the excellent network of relations with international centres, to the interaction with major companies in the field and to the complete experimental facilities available in the group (mechanical and physical characterization of materials, processing, inspection, etc.).

The knowledge provided by the MMS Master is an excellent background to perform a Ph.D. If you are interested, please have a look at available thesis topics, and contact us at talent.amade@udg.edu.

Currently there are more than 20 Ph.D. students in the group from different continents, which gives rise to an excellent and open students’ life.