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Dr M Van Reeuwijk
Prof C Maksimovic
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
This is a 3-year PhD studentship funded by the Climate KIC programme of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The PhD studentship is available from October 2013 for three years to quantify the impact of integrating urban green infrastructure (vegetated areas, green roofs, facades etc.) with blue infrastructure (urban water) on the local microclimate (temperature, humidity, air quality) in urban areas by means of high resolution numerical simulation.
Background
With the mounting evidence of a changing climate due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions, a transition to a low-carbon future is necessary. As the World Health Organisation anticipates that by 2030, 6 out of 10 people will live in cities, it is evident that cities will play a vital role in this transition. Integration of the planning, design and management of green infrastructure interacting with blue infrastructure has a great potential to increase resilience of urban areas to adverse impacts of climate change and variability. The project is planned to develop series of planning and modelling tools which will facilitate design of new and retrofitting of the existing developments and quantification of performance indicators of Blue Green assets. In particular the new models should improve assessment of impacts of BG solutions on the reduction of: (i) potable water demand, (ii) urban pluvial flood hazard, (iii) urban heat island, (iv) noise and (v) air pollution. The modelling capacity can then lead to improvement of: (i) the buildings’ energy efficiency, (ii) biodiversity (iii) amenity an property value and in (iv) liveability of urban spaces.
A large international consortium of industrial and academic partners has very recently begun exploring the innovative potential of blue green solutions in the Blue Green Dream (BGD) project (www.bgd.org.uk), which is co-financed by Climate-KIC (www.climate-kic.org). Part of the challenge in realising BGD’s mission is to understand in detail the complex interaction of the atmospheric boundary layer, street canyons, green areas, plant behaviour, blue (water) infrastructure and buildings and to bring this together in an integrated modelling system (BGIMS) which is capable of parametric design of blue-green areas and the quantification of urban ecosystem service performance. This is a large task which will be split into at least six compatible PhD projects in the UK and several others abroad.
This PhD project will focus on developing a simulation capacity for determining the local microclimate in an urban area and how blue-green solutions are able to modify this. The project will involve incorporating physics-based models for the interaction between the vegetation and water in an existing large-eddy simulation model for atmospheric flow over urban areas. The PhD will involve a blend of fundamental studies (such as flows through street canyons with vegetation) and realistic case studies, which will be validated with results from full-scale experimental facilities currently being set up through the BGD project. The model results will be incorporated in BGIMS though an appropriate interface / platform which is also being developed within BGD project.
How to apply:
Applications should include a CV and a motivation letter along with two contacts for reference letters. Please send your application by e-mail to Rebecca Naessens ([Email Address Removed]).
The PhD studentship is available from October 2013 for three years to quantify the impact of integrating urban green infrastructure (vegetated areas, green roofs, facades etc.) with blue infrastructure (urban water) on the local microclimate (temperature, humidity, air quality) in urban areas by means of high resolution numerical simulation.
Background
With the mounting evidence of a changing climate due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions, a transition to a low-carbon future is necessary. As the World Health Organisation anticipates that by 2030, 6 out of 10 people will live in cities, it is evident that cities will play a vital role in this transition. Integration of the planning, design and management of green infrastructure interacting with blue infrastructure has a great potential to increase resilience of urban areas to adverse impacts of climate change and variability. The project is planned to develop series of planning and modelling tools which will facilitate design of new and retrofitting of the existing developments and quantification of performance indicators of Blue Green assets. In particular the new models should improve assessment of impacts of BG solutions on the reduction of: (i) potable water demand, (ii) urban pluvial flood hazard, (iii) urban heat island, (iv) noise and (v) air pollution. The modelling capacity can then lead to improvement of: (i) the buildings’ energy efficiency, (ii) biodiversity (iii) amenity an property value and in (iv) liveability of urban spaces.
A large international consortium of industrial and academic partners has very recently begun exploring the innovative potential of blue green solutions in the Blue Green Dream (BGD) project (www.bgd.org.uk), which is co-financed by Climate-KIC (www.climate-kic.org). Part of the challenge in realising BGD’s mission is to understand in detail the complex interaction of the atmospheric boundary layer, street canyons, green areas, plant behaviour, blue (water) infrastructure and buildings and to bring this together in an integrated modelling system (BGIMS) which is capable of parametric design of blue-green areas and the quantification of urban ecosystem service performance. This is a large task which will be split into at least six compatible PhD projects in the UK and several others abroad.
This PhD project will focus on developing a simulation capacity for determining the local microclimate in an urban area and how blue-green solutions are able to modify this. The project will involve incorporating physics-based models for the interaction between the vegetation and water in an existing large-eddy simulation model for atmospheric flow over urban areas. The PhD will involve a blend of fundamental studies (such as flows through street canyons with vegetation) and realistic case studies, which will be validated with results from full-scale experimental facilities currently being set up through the BGD project. The model results will be incorporated in BGIMS though an appropriate interface / platform which is also being developed within BGD project.
How to apply:
Applications should include a CV and a motivation letter along with two contacts for reference letters. Please send your application by e-mail to Rebecca Naessens ([Email Address Removed]).
Funding Notes
UK/EU Fees will be covered and pay £15,600 per annum for 3 years, from October 2013
Applicants should:
a. Hold or expect to hold an MSc/MEng in engineering (civil, mechanical, aeronautics etc.), meteorology or physics
b. Be a citizen of the EU
c. Have a background in numerical modelling and programming. Experience with high performance computing is beneficial but not strictly required
d. Have good social and team working skills as the successful candidate will work closely with other PhD students to create the BGIMS
e. Have an interest in using the developed knowledge to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Applicants should:
a. Hold or expect to hold an MSc/MEng in engineering (civil, mechanical, aeronautics etc.), meteorology or physics
b. Be a citizen of the EU
c. Have a background in numerical modelling and programming. Experience with high performance computing is beneficial but not strictly required
d. Have good social and team working skills as the successful candidate will work closely with other PhD students to create the BGIMS
e. Have an interest in using the developed knowledge to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Project supervisors
Career overview
Maarten van Reeuwijk is a Professor of Urban Fluid Mechanics in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London. He completed an MSc in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a specialisation in Fluid Mechanics at Delft University of Technology from September 1995 to September 2002. He then pursued a PhD in Applied Physics, focusing on Direct Simulation and Regularisation Modelling of Turbulent Thermal Convection, at the same institution from September 2002 to February 2007. In his current role, Maarten leads an active research group and serves as the Director of Research, teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His research interests encompass transport processes in fluids, particularly those involving wall-bounded turbulence and buoyancy effects. His work is applied to various areas, including urban heat islands, dispersion, microclimates, atmospheric convection, building ventilation, and oceanographic/coastal applications. Maarten''s research includes studying air quality and urban microclimates, with a focus on sustainability. He employs high-fidelity Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) and Urban Energy Balance models to assess the impact of sustainable infrastructure, such as green roofs and walls, on air quality and urban heat islands. He also investigates turbulent entrainment in various contexts, including jets, plumes, volcanic ash, and atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers, utilising Direct Numerical Simulation and theoretical approaches to gain insights into these complex phenomena. Additionally, Maarten explores the behaviour of particles in turbulent flows, with applications related to microplastics in marine environments and cloud droplets. He leads a diverse group of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers from various engineering and scientific backgrounds, regularly offering opportunities for new PhD and post-doctoral positions.
Research interests
Professor van Reeuwijk''s research focuses on transport processes in fluids, particularly involving wall-bounded turbulence and buoyancy effects. His application areas include transport processes in urban environments, such as urban heat islands, dispersion, and microclimates, as well as atmospheric convection, building ventilation (including stratified environments, plumes/jets, and exchange flows), and oceanographic/coastal applications. His active research areas encompass air quality and urban microclimate in cities, with an emphasis on sustainability. He employs high-fidelity Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) and Urban Energy Balance models to assess the impact of sustainable infrastructure, such as green roofs and green walls, on air quality and the urban heat island effect. Additionally, he investigates turbulent entrainment in various contexts, including jets/plumes, volcanic ash, gravity currents, and atmospheric/oceanic boundary layers, utilising Direct Numerical Simulation and theoretical approaches to gain insights into this complex phenomenon. Professor van Reeuwijk also studies the behaviour of particles in turbulent flows, with applications related to microplastics in marine environments and cloud droplets. He leads a diverse group of PhD students and post-docs from various engineering and scientific disciplines, providing regular opportunities for research positions.
Urban Fluid Mechanics
Transport Processes
Wall-Bounded Turbulence
Buoyancy Effects
Urban Heat Island
Dispersion
Microclimate
Atmospheric Convection
Building Ventilation
Oceanographic Applications
Air Quality
Urban Microclimate
Sustainable Infrastructure
Large-Eddy Simulation
Turbulent Entrainment
Direct Numerical Simulation
Particles in Turbulent Flows
Microplastics
Cloud Droplets
PhD Opportunities
Post-Doc Positions
Civil Engineering
Atmospheric Sciences
Interdisciplinary Engineering
Applied Mathematics
Turbulent Flows.
Career overview
Cedo Maksimovic worked for 24 years at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Belgrade, before joining the Environmental and Water Resource Engineering (EWRE) Section at Imperial College London in 1996. He created and heads the Urban Water Research Group (UWRG). His research focuses on applied fluid mechanics in urban water systems, including storm drainage, urban flooding, water supply, and the interactions of urban water systems and infrastructure with the environment. In addition to lecturing on MSc and undergraduate courses, Prof. Maksimovic serves as a project coordinator for various EPSRC, EU, and UNESCO projects in the UK and internationally. His current projects include the Climate-KIC project Blue Green Dream, which addresses the interactions of urban water systems with urban vegetated areas, and the EU Interreg programme''s RainGain project, which focuses on short-term urban rainfall and flood prediction. Recently completed projects include the prediction of Urban Pluvial Flooding (FRMRC2 - EPSRC) and the Decentralised Integrated Analysis and Enhancement of Awareness through Collaborative Modelling and Management of Flood Risk (DIANE-CM), part of the EU-funded ERANET_CRUE programme. In the FRMRC project, his team developed an innovative method for advanced urban surface flood modelling and received the prestigious ICE''s Premium Prize ""Telford Gold Medal"" for research on intelligent sensors and networks. Prof. Maksimovic has also been involved in numerous past projects, such as Sustainable Urban Runoff Management, Monitoring and Modelling in Water Distribution Networks, and Integrated Urban Water Management. In 1999, he co-launched the international URBAN WATER journal, which is published bi-monthly and included in the ISI - Science Citation Index Expanded. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Urban Water Book series. He initiated the Urban Drainage Modelling (UDM) Conferences, held every three years since 1986, and co-manages an Internet-based postgraduate course on Water Resources and Environmental Management in collaboration with several universities. Prof. Maksimovic has served as a chief advisor to UNESCO''s International Hydrological Programme on Integrated Urban Water Management, coordinating nine major projects over six years. He is a recipient of the UNESCO/IAHR ""Lecturer of the Year 2001"" Award and has published over 380 papers and authored or edited 42 books. He coordinates a UNESCO-endorsed network of urban water centres globally.
Research interests
Emeritus Professor Cedo Maksimovic''s research focuses on applied fluid mechanics in urban water systems, encompassing storm drainage, urban flooding, water supply, and the interactions of urban water systems and infrastructure with the environment. He leads the Urban Water Research Group (UWRG) and coordinates various projects related to these topics, including the Climate-KIC project Blue Green Dream, which examines the interactions between urban water systems and vegetated areas, and the EU Interreg programme''s RainGain project, which addresses short-term urban rainfall and flood prediction. His recent work includes the development of innovative methods for urban surface flood modelling and advancements in smart infrastructure, for which his team received the ICE''s Premium Prize ""Telford Gold Medal."" Past projects have involved sustainable urban runoff management, leakage detection in water distribution networks, and integrated urban water management. Professor Maksimovic has also contributed significantly to academic literature, having published over 380 papers and authored or edited 42 books. He co-launched the international URBAN WATER journal and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Urban Water Book series. He has initiated and managed multiple international conferences and collaborative educational programmes in urban water management. His expertise has been recognised through various awards, including the UNESCO/IAHR ""Lecturer of the year 2001"" Award.
Urban Water Systems
Applied Fluid Mechanics
Storm Drainage
Urban Flooding
Water Supply
Environmental Interactions
Flood Risk Management
Urban Drainage Modelling
Integrated Urban Water Management
Climate Change
Urban Vegetation
Rainfall Prediction
Sustainable Urban Runoff Management
Leakage Detection
River Basin Management
Smart Infrastructure
Urban Water Education
UNESCO IHPVI
International Hydrological Programme
Urban Water Research Group
Urban Water Journal
Urban Water Book Series.
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