2nd International DECOVALEX Symposium on Coupled Processes in Radioactive Waste Disposal and Subsurface Engineering Applications

Troyes, France. 14-16 November 2023

Like the first DECOVALEX Symposium in 2019 (http://decovalex-coupled-processessymposium.org/), the event will bring together up to 200 participants discussing aspects of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in geological systems. The focus is on new and exciting advances in areas of coupled processes associated with a broad range of subsurface engineering, starting with radioactive waste disposal and extending to geothermal exploration, geological carbon sequestration, subsurface energy storage, etc. The symposium will also provide insights from the current phase of the international DECOVALEX project (https://decovalex.org/), an international collaboration for advancing the understanding of coupled THMC processes in geological systems.

More information on this pdf file.

Call for abstracts for Mini Symposium at SEG23

Francesco Cecinato and Fleur Loveridge will be convening a Mini Symposium entitled “Numerical analysis of energy geostructures” at SEG23 (3rd Symposium on Energy Geotechnics, see https://lnkd.in/d6Dsvpzh) that will take place in Delft (NL), 3-5 October 2023.

Please submit an extended abstract to this MS via the symposium website. The deadline is currently set to 31 January 2023. Further details can be found on the attached flyer.

Ph.D. student position in data-driven site characterization using geotechnical and geophysical data

The Geotechnical Research Group at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK is looking for a highly motivated and talented individual to fill a Ph.D. student position. To keep pace with the rapidly developed digital technologies, the project will perform data analytics of geotechnical and geophysical data using novel machine learning methods, with a focus on dealing with large quantities of multivariate, incomplete, 3-dimensional data subject to spatial variability.

The objective of the project is to develop a three-dimensional spatially variable geological profile with a reasonable quantification of the uncertainties. Various machine-learning methods will be explored to make the geological model explicit (i.e., to be not a black box) and incorporate human knowledge and judgment. The student will be supervised by data analytic, geotechnical and geophysical experts in the team and have the opportunity to cooperate with leading researchers in the field of data analytics in geoengineering. The student will work closely with industry partners to deal with geological modeling challenges in geologically complex areas.

More information can be found on the following link: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/data-driven-site-characterization-using-geotechnical-and-geophysical-data-rdf23-mce-qi/?p151500

PhD Position financed by Cerema

Title : Durability study of roads containing alternative materials by dielectric and mechanical characterizations

Starting: November 2023 (36 months funding by Cerema)

Supervisors: Alain Sylvestre, Cyrille Fauchard, Benhui Fan and Jean-Marc Duchamp

Laboratory: G2ELab (Université Grenoble Alpes) and Endsum (Cerema)

Location: Grenoble (50%), Angers (50%), France

Keywords: dielectric permittivity, viscoelastic properties, ageing, road materials

To be submitted to: benhui.fan@cerema.fr; alain.sylvestre@g2elab.grenoble-inp.fr;
cyrille.fauchard@cerema.fr; jean-marc.duchamp@g2elab.grenoble-inp.fr
The application should include: a detailed CV and if possible, recommendation letters.

Application deadline : 30 April 2023.

PhD position on fault leakage related to subsurface hydrogen and carbon storage

The GeoEnergy Research (Prof. Andreas Busch) and MuPhi (Prof. Florian Doster) Research Groups at Heriot-Watt University are looking for a motivated PhD researcher to work on the impact of multiphase flow effects on fault leakage from geological reservoirs used for fluid storage, focusing specifically on CCS and hydrogen. This research will ground on recent data that has been obtained from multiscale 4D X-ray imaging at the Swiss Light Source. It will provide new and detailed insights into the multiphase fluid dynamics in rough fractures. Using novel data from synchrotron experiments will support more accurate predictions of the potential fluid leak rates from subsurface reservoirs. These are urgently needed to improve our confidence in subsurface fluid storage over long periods of time. This research can be divided into the following objectives:

  1. Develop a robust understanding of multiphase flow in rough fractures, based on 4D flow data. The data will be analysed towards displacement to obtain relative permeability and capillary pressure curves at a given effective stress but with varying surface roughness, aperture heterogeneity, and flow rates (capillary numbers).
  2. Represent fracture flow phenomena at the Darcy scale in physical models for fractures and fracture networks. This will support caprock leakage risk assessments by improving our confidence in the determination of leak rates by bringing together fracture network data (from previous research by the PI/co-Is) and upscaled fluid displacement models from this research.

This scholarship is available to UK and overseas students and in partnership with Shell Global Solutions. Funding is secured for 42 months and we aim for a May 2023 start. Application deadline is January 29th.

Further details can be found on the university website:

https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/schools/energy-geoscience-infrastructure-society/postgraduate-research/evaluation-of-fault-leakage-rates-in-the-context-of.htm

Looking for a postdoctoral researcher at phyGEO lab, IIT Kanpur

We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher to work with us on one or more cross cutting research themes of phyGEO lab (https://home.iitk.ac.in/~pnmishra/) at Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

If you are a motivated individual with a PhD (or in your final stages), and work in the domains of (a) soil sensing technology, (b) unsaturated soils, (c) tailings and industrial wastes and (d) biogeotechnics, we would like to hear from you. Interested candidates may contact us at pnmishra@iitk.ac.in with a cover letter, CV and a problem statement that aligns with our research themes and your experience/interest.

PhD student position in experimental geomechanics: genesis and failure of quick clay

The Geotechnical Research Group at Chalmers University of Technology is looking for a highly motivated and talented individual to fill a PhD student position linked with a research project funded by Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish research council). The project is conceived as fundamental experimental research on the genesis and failure of quick clays using a combination of physical model tests, rheology experiments, and miniature hydro-mechanical tests with simultaneous 4D monitoring of the internal structure using optical and X-ray based scattering and imaging methods.

The ultimate aim of the project is to link the unique response of natural quick clays at engineering scale to physico-chemical and micro-mechanical processes during formation (sedimentation, consolidation) and failure. In addition to the main supervisor (Prof. Jelke Dijkstra) and a local co-supervisor (Dr Angela Casarella) at ACE, Dr Stephen Hall at the Division of Solid Mechanics at Lund University will co-supervise the project with his expertise on advanced X-ray and neutron based methods. The project will be embedded in a larger constellation of projects at the department that focus on the fundamental behaviour of (natural) clays, ground improvement and sustainable materials in Civil Engineering. 

More information can be found on the following link:

https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/Working-at-Chalmers/Vacancies/Pages/default.aspx?rmpage=job&rmjob=11298&rmlang=UK

Numerical Analysis of Geomaterials: to the memory of Prof. Gyan N. Pande

We are pleased to announce that an International Symposium dedicated to the memory of Prof. Gyan Pande will be held in Assisi (Italy), May 10-12th, 2023. The Symposium will be focused on the Numerical Analysis of Geomaterials. The scope will cover the traditional areas of geomechanics, including both computational and experimental aspects, as well as application to practical engineering problems. In addition, contributions in the areas related to the use of geomaterials in construction (e.g., masonry and concrete structures) as well as geo-environmental engineering are also welcomed.

The preliminary information on the venue and the registration process is provided on the Symposium website: http://www.nange.info. This site will be continually updated as new information becomes available.

The participants are invited to submit an extended two-page abstract in MS Word (.docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf): more information on this pdf file.

11 PhD Positions on Offshore Wind Geotechnics

Applications are invited for 11 PhD positions (hereafter called Doctoral Candidates, DCs) to be funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network in ‘Foundations foR Offshore wiNd TurbInES (FRONTIErS)’ under the European Commission Horizon Europe and UK Research and Innovation!

Application Deadline: 31st January 2023, 23:59 – GMT.

More information on this pdf file and on this website: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/43417