About the Project
Number of awards:
1
Start date and duration:
September 2018 for 3 years.
Overview:
Many countries in the world are suffering from widespread disruptions and losses due to floods. Flood damages are projected to increase in the next years due to the aging of assets and climatic changes. This evidence illustrates the need to re-think infrastructure and to support the near future of our cities through resilient measures against extreme events. Bridge collapse is one of the more notable results of such catastrophic events. Bridges are subjected to several effects and pressures, which threaten their structural reliability and service. On the other hand, bridges can be unique landmarks for a city (e.g. Millennium Bridge in London) and an occasion to renew urban landscapes.
Recent research have enhanced understanding of how bridges get swept away in floods. However, further progress are needed in order to improve the resilience of bridges to flood, in order to maintain a minimum level of service.
This project investigates principles and ideas to enhance bridge design considering flooding risk. This involves the development of captivating new infrastructure, and of clever retrofitting techniques. Modern cities are in need of innovative solutions to withstand flooding, especially in a context of climate change. The project will involve collaboration with industry and academia, providing useful information for practitioners and decision-makers.
Sponsor:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (https://epsrc.ukri.org/)
Name of supervisor(s):
Dr Maria Pregnolato (https://bit.ly/2GTEuL3), Dr Ben Bridgens (https://bit.ly/2EgZlCi) and Professor Richard Dawson (https://bit.ly/2GPiPU5), School of Engineering (https://bit.ly/2GPxVZy).
Eligibility Criteria:
You must have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent, in Civil Engineering, Architecture or a related subject. Experience conducting modelling research would be an advantage, but is not essential. The candidate will be expected to conduct work with industrial and academic partners, and should have good interpersonal skills.
The studentship is open to applicants satisfying EPSRC home/UK or EU fee criteria, and are eligible for home fees. EU candidates may only be eligible for a partial award.
English language skills (if English is not your native language): an overall score of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, with individual scores of 6.0 in each of the four sub-skills: writing, reading, speaking and listening.
How to apply:
You must apply through the University’s online postgraduate application system. To do this please ‘Create a new account’ (https://bit.ly/2uNRkFK).
All relevant fields should be completed, but fields marked with a red asterisk must to be completed. The following information will help us to process your application. You will need to:
insert the programme code 8040F in the programme of study section
select ‘PhD Civil Engineering (full time) – Civil Engineering (Water Resources)’ as the programme of study
insert the studentship code ENG025 in the studentship/partnership reference field
attach a covering letter and CV. The covering letter must state the title of the studentship, quote reference code ENG025 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project
attach degree transcripts and certificates and, if English is not your first language, a copy of your English language qualifications.
You should also send your covering letter and CV to Dr Maria Pregnolato email to [Email Address Removed].