This Ph.D. project focuses on the data-driven modeling and optimization of structural foams used
in high-voltage battery systems for electric vehicles. As part of BMW’s passive safety and elec-
trification strategy, the research aims to develop a multidisciplinary framework that combines mi-
crostructure modeling, machine learning, and probabilistic simulation to link manufacturing param-
eters, foam morphology, and mechanical performance. By enabling predictive and optimization-
driven design, the project seeks to achieve lightweight, cost-efficient, and safe structural foams for
next-generation battery housings. The work will be conducted under the supervision of Prof. P.S.
Koutsourelakis in the Data-driven Materials Modeling group at the Technical University of Munich
(TUM), in close collaboration with BMW’s simulation and materials engineering teams.
More details can be found here