PhD on safety and sustainability in bio-based composites' structural design
Are you interested in sustainable structural design to reduce the CO2 footprint of buildings? Are you passionate about bio-based composite material systems and want to enhance their use in architecture? Then you may be an excellent candidate for this PhD position.
Job description
The increasing demand for new buildings and infrastructure is one of society’s most critical environmental challenges since a large amount of waste, pollution, and gas emissions are produced. In the last decade, bio-based composite materials have shown the potential to develop sustainable building systems for architecture. However, a significant challenge is the scarcity of comprehensive data regarding their performance and characteristics. This lack often leads to difficulties in assessing safety, prompting the application of overly conservative safety factors and unnecessary material usage, which also detriments their sustainability level. Moreover, the intricate relationship between safety and sustainability is frequently underestimated or disregarded in current practices.
In this position, you will research and develop a comprehensive design framework that integrates safety assessment and sustainability considerations for bio-based composite materials, addressing the current challenges and gaps in understanding their performance and characteristics. The main key objectives and challenges of this PhD position would include:
- Explore bio-based fiber-polymer composite materials as a promising avenue for sustainable construction.
- Address the scarcity of comprehensive data regarding the performance and characteristics of bio-based composite materials.
- Develop a comprehensive design framework to assess safety in the structural design of bio-based composite material systems.
- Integrate sustainability considerations seamlessly into the structural design process to optimize building performance and minimize environmental impact.
The position is embedded in the newly formed chair of Sustainable Structural Design of the Unit structural Engineering and Design at the Department of the Built Environment
Job requirements
- A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in architecture or structural engineering.
- A strong interest in sustainable structural design, bio-based material systems, and circularity.
- In-depth knowledge of parametric design and other relevant software programs (e.g., finite elementmethod). Experience with computational design and digital fabrication is preferred.
- A research-oriented attitude. Proficiency in research methodologies and data analysis.
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, and interested in collaborating with industrial partners.
- Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students.
- Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level)= IELTS: 7.0 score or TOEFL: 90 score.
More information about conditions of employment and application can be found here.