[School of Natural Sciences PhD Scholarships] Fluid-Injection Fault-Reactivation Experiments Illuminated by High-speed Camera & Acoustic Emissions

About the project

About the Project Understanding when fluid injection reactivates faults and triggers earthquakes is essential for reducing seismic risk as subsurface technologies become central to the green energy transition. Geothermal energy, CO₂ storage, and other injection-based projects will all disturb the underground stress and fluid-pressure balance. In some cases, this can induce damaging earthquakes, as seen in places such as Oklahoma, while other faults may slip silently and aseismically. Yet we still do not know the boundary conditions that control these contrasting behaviors. Determining why some faults fail abruptly whereas others deform without seismic shaking is therefore a key scientific and societal challenge. Addressing this question is critical for designing safe and reliable energy-transition projects that involve fluid injection into the subsurface. The proposed PhD project aims to investigate the conditions that govern fluid-pressure-induced fault reactivation, and to determine why such reactivation may occur either seismically or aseismically under different conditions. The project will use BeeAx, a newly developed experimental apparatus at the Manchester Rock Deformation Laboratory, designed to perform direct-shear fluid-injection experiments on laboratory faults. A key strength of this setup is its ability to monitor fault reactivation simultaneously using multiple techniques. Acoustic emissions will be recorded throughout the experiments, calibrated to provide absolute magnitudes of induced laboratory earthquakes and located to resolve the spatial and temporal evolution of microseismic activity during pore-fluid pressure injection. These measurements will be combined with high-speed camera observations to capture the dynamics of fault slip and identify the mode of reactivation in real time. By systematically varying normal stress, prestress conditions, frictional properties, and fluid-injection rate, the project will quantify how these factors influence the nucleation, precursory behaviour, and dynamic evolution of fault reactivation. The overarching goal is to identify the key variables and physical thresholds that control the style of reactivation, thereby improving our understanding of induced seismicity in subsurface energy applications. This project is expected to start in September 2027. Before you apply: We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisors for this project before you apply. How to apply: To be considered for this project you must complete a formal application through our online application portal. If you already have an applicant account this link will directly open an application for PhD School of Natural Sciences Scholarships . If you don’t already have an applicant account, please follow the instructions here . When applying, please specify the full title and supervisor/s of the project, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees. You must also upload a Supporting Statement describing your motivation to apply to the project, your CV and transcripts of awarded and in-progress university qualifications . Please note late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester and central to all our activities. A diverse research community strengthens creativity, productivity and quality, while increasing the societal and economic impact of our work. We welcome applicants from all career paths, backgrounds and sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation or transgender status. We welcome applications from candidates returning to study after a career break or experience in other roles. Flexible study arrangements may be available, including part-time study at 50%, 60% or 80%, subject to the requirements of the project and funder. Eligibility : The standard academic entry requirement for this PhD is an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree in Geology, Geophysics, Physics, Civil Engineering or Material Science (or international equivalent) OR any upper-second class (2:1) honours degree and a Master’s degree at merit in Geology, Geophysics, Physics, Civil Engineering or Material Science (or international equivalent). This project will remain open until filled. If your application is submitted by 1 st November 2026, you can expect a decision by 18 th December 2026. If your application is submitted by 15 th January 2027, you can expect a decision by 30 th March 2027. Self or externally funded students can also be considered for this project. FSESoNS

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