Specialist conductive coating anode system for cathodic protection of steel in concrete structures

Congratulations on taking your first steps toward a Research Degree with Coventry’s Faculty of Engineering, Environment and Computing. As an ambitious and innovative University, we’re investing an initial £100m into our new research strategy, ‘Excellence with Impact’. Through original approaches from world-leading experts, we’re aiming for our research to make a tangible difference to the way we live. As a research student you are an integral part of Coventry’s lively and diverse research community and contribute to our reputation for excellence. With our exceptional facilities and superb support mechanisms you are afforded every opportunity for academic success.

The project
Increasing number of concrete structures is cathodically protected utilising thermal spraying (TS) zinc, particularly in the USA and Canada due to its less intrusive installation method. However the application of TS Zinc requires specialist and highly experienced operators and also requires sophisticated plant and equipment involving ‘high energy input’ i.e. high electrical energy consumption. Furthermore, as the thermal spraying process operates by significantly high voltage and current considerable attentions are needed with regard to health and safety of all personnel at site. As a result TS Zinc anode system could be viewed as a ‘High carbon footprint’ system together with Health and safety issues for the site operatives.

The application of this proposed novel alternative specialist conductive coating already developed at Coventry University combined with proposed carbon fibre composites system is an innovative concept. This approach is considered to have ‘low carbon foot-print’ together with structural enhancement and significant cost saving in providing effective cathodic protection to chloride contaminated reinforced concrete structures. Preliminary laboratory investigations have been carried out by the supervisory team to investigate the performance of carbon fibre composites and specialist conductive coating system as a single anode material for ICCP system and compared to thermally Sprayed (T.S.) zinc. This PhD research programme is aimed to contribute significantly to accurate evaluation of the performance of carbon fibre-conductive coating system to be used as a CP anode for reinforced concrete structures.

The novel specialist conductive coating system is believed to be most cost effective with ‘low carbon-foot-print’ ICCP anode system for industry-wide application.

About the Centre/Department
The Centre for Low Impact Buildings is seeking exceptional and motivated scholars who wish to engage with global, policy or industry related research that will demonstrate a measurable sustainable improvement in the performance of the built environment. Our key research themes are: building materials or low carbon technologies including their dynamic performance; new standards of building performance involving owners and occupiers; resilience and adaptation to climate change; or, pervasive data in sensoring and monitoring buildings including human computer interaction. It is our aim to improve the sustainability and performance of the built environment.

The school of Energy, Construction and Environment and the Centre for Low Impact Buildings has an established reputation in materials and structures research, offering arguably the largest structures laboratory in the West Midlands and excellent links to industry. The project counts with all the necessary research equipment and materials and test facilities. The candidate can draw from expertise from the department and beyond.

Successful applicants
-A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the Project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average,or

-A Masters Degree in a relevant subject area will be considered as an equivalent. The Masters must have been attained with overall marks at merit level (60%). In addition, the dissertation or equivalent element in the Masters must also have been attained with a mark at merit level (60%).

-The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a prescribed period of study

-Language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

Additionally:

-Candidates must have some experience in experimental work and of working in a laboratory. Candidates are expected to produce 2-3 high quality scientific papers to be published in high impact journals (SJR ranking Q1) after application for patent is filed.

-Candidates should have some knowledge of statistics and data analysis. In order to contextualise the research.

Eligibility & application procedure
Application procedure:
Application information can be found in our how to apply section. Before completing the application please contact Prof. Eshmaiel Ganjian, cc’ing [Email Address Removed] for an initial informal discussion about the opportunity.

Eligibility:
All UK/EU/International students are eligible to apply that meet the academic requirements, the eligibility criteria can be found at http://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-students/research-entry-criteria/