PhD Studentship offer on energy harvesting pavements, University of Nottingham

Applications are invited for a 3 year PhD studentship to work jointly with researchers in the Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre (NTEC) within the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham.

NTEC research over many years has made a major impact on UK practice in pavement engineering through the development of analytically-based design principles, structural evaluation techniques and the development of various test methods for asphalt (e.g. [6]). NTEC has the finest facilities for asphalt pavement research in the UK and is amongst the top laboratories of its kind internationally. The technical support staff is highly trained and the laboratory has had quality assurance accreditation since 2004 under the UKAS scheme.

The focus of this studentship will be to investigate the harvesting of energy from the incident solar radiation in asphalt concrete pavements. In this research, an artificially built porosity, where air can circulate, will be integrated in the pavement structure. These artificial pore volumes in the pavement will be connected to an updraft or to a downdraft chimney. Differences of temperature between the pavement and the environment can be used to create an air flow, which would allow a wind turbine to produce an amount of energy and that would cool the pavement down in summer or even warm it up in winter.

At the present state of the technology, the efficiency of energy harvesting pavements is still low with regard to what it could be after optimization. Additionally, it is necessary to guarantee an appropriate mechanical response of the pavement structure where this technology is integrated. For these reasons, this research will aim to analyze how to optimize the pavement structures for energy harvesting, with the highest efficiency possible and with good mechanical performance. Additionally, the potential use of this technology for minimizing the heat island effect and for de-icing the pavements during winter will be studied.

The studentship will cover PhD tuition fees and a tax free stipend (due to funding restrictions, this offer is open only to EU/UK citizens only) for three years (£13,726 for the 2014-15 academic year). An additional £2000 a year may be awarded for students with a 1st class degree / MSc Distinction from a UK Russell Group University or equivalent.

Students must have a first or upper second class academic qualification in Civil Engineering, Physics, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or other relevant discipline. Experience in a similar discipline and/or experience in the following will be an advantage: Bituminous Materials, Energy harvesting, Fluids flow.

This studentship will be supervised jointly by Dr Alvaro Garcia (NTEC) and Mr Andrew Dawson (NTEC). Informal enquiries prior to making an application may be addressed to: Dr Garcia: Alvaro.garcia@nottingham.ac.uk. If you are interested in making an application, please contact Dr Garcia directly with a covering letter stating clearly how you fulfil the requirements of the studentship and include a CV and the names and addresses of two academic referees. Interviews will take place in person or via Skype at the University of Nottingham.

For more information, please click on the following link: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/ENG772