Prof Michael Gormley
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
The development of high-rise buildings is now at an unprecedented rate, with their number and scale rapidly and dramatically changing the landscape of global cities. The creation of these complex vertical communities poses major operational challenges for the systems relied upon for occupant safety and the responsible management of water resources. The growing need for vertical population distribution is pushing the limits of air and water management systems (AWMS) within tall buildings to the point where current design codes and system components are no longer suitable. National codes provide essential guidance for the design of building drainage and vent systems (BDS) which, in the main, ensure the basic objectives of preventing odour ingress and cross-transmission of disease through water-trap seal retention. One particular aspect of the current codes that requires further understanding is the integration of the BDS of tall buildings into the public network and how system performance is influenced by the variability observed at this interface. This fully funded PhD studentship will involve close alignment with an industry-funded project designed to revolutionise the design of BDS systems in tall buildings.
We propose in this project to investigate the integration of tall building BDS into wider public networks and to establish the relative influence of network parameters on system performance. The work will involve investigation of the fundamental fluid dynamic mechanisms associated with air and water flow in BDS of tall buildings with special emphasis on the interface between the building’s system and the public network. The project will benefit for access to three custom-designed sites: one at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, one 100 m tall test-tower located in Northampton, and one 32 m test-rig located in Penningen, Netherlands.
You will join a team of three academics and two research associates with 65 years of combined experience in this field. The group will foster a team spirit, which will afford significant support in addition to the multi-disciplinary supervisory team.
We welcome applicants with a background in built environment systems modelling, mechanical engineering, or civil engineering.
Funding Notes
This is a full scholarship covering full tuition fees and providing an annual stipend of £15,009 for the 36 months duration of the project. This project is available to ALL students, whether home, EU or overseas.
The successful candidate should have a strong interest in applied research and possess, at minimum, a Masters level degree. Formally, four years of university study including a minimum of one year at an advanced level are required.
Manipulation of large datasets and programming skills are an essential requirement of this project. Some experience of fluid flow simulation and built environment systems would be advantageous.
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