Digital Twin and AI-Driven Modelling of Seabed Mobility for Offshore Infrastructure PhD Scholarship

This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience, a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six months of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University. The global push for offshore wind and the expansion of subsea cable networks are rapidly industrialising our continental shelves. This infrastructure interacts with a highly dynamic seabed environment. Seabed mobility, like scouring and trenching, contributes to dynamic changes in the marine environment. The growth of the offshore energy industry increases vulnerability of foundations and cables to these hazards. Infrastructure installations alter the seabed, yet the mechanisms and environmental impacts remain poorly understood. This project aims to address these gaps using a digital twin with interpretable AI and data from advanced sensors. The system will be developed and tested using novel laboratory based experiments, with potential for future upscaling. The goal is to enable prediction of seabed mobility by infrastructure settings and management of environmental impact by integrating knowledge from mechanics, environmental science, and data analysis. The scholarship covers fees plus a stipend set at the UKRI nationally agreed rates, currently £20,780 per annum at 2025/26 rates and will increase in line with EPSRC guidelines for subsequent years.