The research unit RECOVER from INRAE is pleased to invite applications for a postdoc position (18 months) on the application of complex network tools to granular materials to identify enriched mesostructures responsible for the stabilizing effect induced by grain polydispersity. This postdoc proposal is part of project MiMoDiM (2022-2026) supported by the French Na-tional Research Agency (ANR).

Prospective applicants may contact Dr Antoine Wautier for further details (antoine.wautier@inrae.fr).

More details on the projects and instructions for applicants can be found here : https://nextcloud.inrae.fr/s/asYB9Y5FN86K4sf

Hydro-Mechanical Behaviour of Biopolymer-Treated Soils

Research project: The PhD position involves laboratory testing and numerical simulations on biopolymer-treated soils with enhanced erosion resistance, water retention, and vegetation etc. This soil improvement approach has a lower carbon footprint thus is more eco-friendly than chemical stabilizations with cement, lime, and fly ash. Field studies demonstrate the feasibility and potential of biopolymer applications in slope surface protection in various soil types, including organic peat covering 17% of Ireland. The viscoelastic gel-like biopolymers change soil properties primarily through particle binding, pore-filling, and pore-clogging. The successful candidate is expected to apply experimental and numerical approaches to advance our understanding of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of biopolymer-treated soils including soil-water retention behaviour, hydraulic conductivity, undrained shear strength. The candidate will adopt non-destructive imaging techniques, i.e., X-ray computed tomography, advanced soil water potential devices, and numerical simulation methods such as discrete element method.

Supervisors: Dr Budi Zhao, Dr Mike Long (Co-supervisor)

Location:  University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

Applicant Requirements: We seek a highly enthusiastic PhD candidate who can independently plan and conduct the research project. Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree in geotechnical engineering, civil engineering or other relevant fields such as mechanical engineering or physics. Excellent written, oral communication skills and a high level of competence in the English language are essential (See UCD’s policy on minimum English language requirements here).

Stipend & fees: The successful candidate will receive a stipend of €18,000 per annum and the fully funded tuition fees for EU/non-EU applicants. The position is funded for four years – subject to satisfactory progress.

Application procedure: Applicants should submit their CV, transcript, and recommendation letters from two referees as a single .pdf document to budi.zhao@ucd.ie.

Application deadline: 21st Oct 2022

The Department of Earth Sciences “A. Desio” of the University of Milan announces the availability of 1 industry co-funded PhD studentship about the “theoretical, numerical and experimental analysis of the thermal and mechanical performance of thermo-active micropiles”. The research project is to be developed in collaboration with company ‘Geosec’ based in Parma, Italy, where the PhD student will have to spend a period of 6 to 18 months.

Prospective applicants may contact Dr Francesco Cecinato for further details (francesco.cecinato@unimi.it).

More details on the projects and instructions for applicants can be found on the attached flyer.

A postdoctoral position in experimental geomechanics in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota (https://cse.umn.edu/cege) is available immediately for a study associated with the Center for Interacting Geo-processes in Mineral Carbon Storage (GMCS), funded through the Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) program by the Office of Science, US Department of Energy. The key objective of GMCS is to develop a deep understanding of the key geo-processes, occurring across multiple scales, that is necessary to achieve a successful mineral carbon storage operation. This will require cohorts of engineers and scientists, from across the spectrum of geomechanics, geochemistry, porous media flow, reactive transport, and sensing technologies, to work in concert towards the common mission of fully developing the fundamental science and engineering capability that will lead to realizing the potential for permanent subsurface storage of CO₂ via mineralization. 

The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for implementing a laboratory setup, performing experiments, and analyzing multi-modal sensory data to study the spatiotemporal evolution of seismic and/or poromechanical properties of mafic rock specimens subjected to the flow of water-dissolved CO₂. The initial appointment is for one year and is renewable for up to four years. The laboratory facilities supporting this work include the Waves & Imaging Laboratory (https://bojanguzina.org/waves-imaging-lab/) and the W. David Lacabanne Rock Mechanics Laboratory (https://cse.umn.edu/cege/research-facilities-civil-engineering-building).

Successful candidates should have a PhD in Civil Engineering, Earth Sciences, or a related field. An expertise in geomechanics, and more specifically experimental geomechanics, is mandatory; knowledge of geochemistry is preferred but not required. A solid foundation in elastic wave propagation and poromechanics will be considered an asset. Also of importance are communication skills and ability to work effectively with the senior investigators, other post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students. 

Applicants should submit a statement of interest, career goals, 2-page CV, and the names and contact information of three references. Inquiries and applications should be sent by email to Bojan Guzina (guzin001@umn.edu), Joseph Labuz (jlabuz@umn.edu), and Peter Kang (pkkang@umn.edu).   

Multiple postdoc and PhD positions are open at Tsinghua University to investigate
debris flow and sediment transport in fluvial and coastal environments through a
multiscale approach integrating experiments, simulations, and theory. The research
will take place at Tsinghua University’s Shenzhen International Graduate School
(SIGS), located in Shenzhen, China, and is partly sponsored by NSFC and Tsinghua
SIGS’s scientific research startup funds.

Successful applicants will join a team managed by Dr. Lu Jing, Assistant Professor in
the Institute for Ocean Engineering, SIGS, Tsinghua University. The research theme
of Lu’s group is “Multi-Scale Mechanics for Earth and its Environment”, in line
with the UN’s and China’s sustainable development goals. Their recent focus is on
the flow and transport mechanics of granular materials from micro to macro scales,
aiming at enhanced strategies for geohazard mitigation and sediment management.

Candidates having excellent experimental (micro-CT, RIMS, PIV/PTV), numerical
(DEM-CFD/LBM, SPH, MPM, AI-aided methods), and/or theoretical (geomechanics,
rheology, fluid dynamics) skills are sought. The positions are open to any citizenship
and all qualified applicants are welcome.

More information in the pdf file attached.

The University of Glasgow currently has an exciting opportunity for a Research Associate (postdoc) to make a leading contribution to an EPSRC-funded project with Dr Junlong Shang. The INFORM project will examine the influence of fracture heterogeneity on the integrity and deformation behaviour of rocks across scales using experiment and modelling approaches, with a goal of sustainable geological disposal of radioactive waste. The project involves a significant programme of laboratory (direct shear, triaxial deformation), field (rock sample and fracture data collection), and modelling (DEM) study as well as engagement with our national and international academic and industry partners. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to the formulation and submission of high-quality research publications and research grant proposals.

Come and join UofG to make leading contributions to radioactive waste disposal and global net zero transitions.

– Application deadline: 28 September 2022
– Expected start date: 1 Feb 2023
– As an EPSRC-funded project, UofG can support Global Talent Visa for the successful candidate (if needed), who will be eligible for UK permanent residence after 36 months of working on the project.

Application: https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/CSS479/research-associate-in-rock-mechanics-and-geomechanics#.YwZuzr4E5xQ.linkedin
Research Group Website: www.junlongshang.com

The deadline for applications to the position presented in the post below is now extended to the 12th of September, 2022.