PhD in STRUCTURAL SEISMIC AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING ... · phd in structural seismic and...

PhD in STRUCTURAL SEISMIC AND GEOTECHNICAL

ENGINEERING - 30th cycle

Number of scholarship offered 5

Department Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale

Description of the PhD Programme

General descriptionStructural, Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering - SSGE - consists of the disciplines andtechniques to understand, model and control the behavior of: (a) structural materials (concrete,steel, masonry, composites, bio-materials and materials for micro-systems), (b) structuralsystems (from constructions to bio-mechanical systems and micro-systems), (c) soils and (d)environment-construction interaction. Being deeply-rooted in civil engineering which is by its verynature highly inter-disciplinary, SSGE also focuses on environmental actions, either external(such as earthquakes, vibrations, irradiation, wind and fire) or ensuing from soil-structureinteraction (such as those caused by retained-earth thrust, landslides and water-tablefluctuations). Because of their generality in materials and structural modeling, the methodsdeveloped within the domain of SSGE are also very useful in other technical-scientific domains,whenever understanding and controlling mechanical aspects are necessary to guarantee bothdesign reliability and structural safety, serviceability and durability. Many are the examples oftypical SSGE issues: from tall buildings and bridges to industrial bio-mechanical and micro-electromechanical systems, from off-shore structures and dams to the rehabilitation ofmonumental buildings, from seismic design and structural dynamics to slope stability, tunnelbehavior and foundations, not to mention many issues in common with several branches ofindustrial engineering.

Administrative office Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Politecnico di MilanoLeonardo Campus Building 5Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 3220133 MilanoDr. Emanuela ZoncaE-mail: [email protected]: 0039 02 23994322Mobile: 0039 331 6000165Fax: 0039 02 23994300Skype: emanuela.zonca.polimi

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Scholarships and research areasScholarships within this Ph.D. programme respect the national departmental amount and no otherincrements are foreseen. The specific research subject will be assigned to the Ph.D. studentwithin the first months of the Ph.D. activity, upon a mutual agreement between the candidate andthe Academic Board of the Ph.D. programme.The herewith attached subject forms describetopics and research ares that Ph.D. students are encouraged to develop.

List of topics and research areas

Smart materials and structures•

Computational mechanics of materials and structures•

Earthquake engineering and structural dynamics•

Advanced computational methods for coupled problems in porous media•

Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems and micromechanics•

Structural analysis of built heritage•

Microseismic monitoring of unstable rock slopes•

Life-cycle performance of bridges and structures•

Geotechnical earthquake engineering•

Computational and experimental mechanics•

D-zones and anchorages under severe conditions•

Cementitious materials and concrete structure under extreme and exceptional loading•

Please note that the general call will have a second phase, in June, in which topic scholarshipsare announced. Please refer to the call for further information. The candidates have to applyseparately for the topic scholarships, which will be listed in the PhD School web site.

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Research Field: ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR COUPLED PROBLEMS IN

POROUS MEDIA

Monthly net income of PhDscholarship (max 36 months)

€ 1027.73In case of a change of the welfare rates during the three-year period, the amount could be modified.

Context of the research activity

Motivation and objectives of the researchin this field

Coupling is an inherent feature of the engineeringbehaviour of porous materials, and it requires multi-phaseand multi-scale approach for its analysis. The interplayingrole of different physical fields, e.g. electrical, chemical,thermal, hydraulic, mechanical, highly non-linear effects,moving interfaces, and large scale heterogeneities,definitely require numerical methods for their analysis. Inthe past, the bottleneck was given by the hardwarelimitations, while nowadays the most relevant difficultiesare related on the one side to the determination ofcoupled mechanical properties and, on the other side, tothe setup of robust numerical procedures able to copewith multithread and parallel treatment. Specifically, thisproposal focuses on the development of innovativenumerical tools to analyse problems related to thedurability of porous materials, undergoing slow cyclic andfast dynamic or thermal excitation, chemical aggressionand material degradation. The final aim of theinvestigation is life-cycle assessment of engineering andbiological structures made of, or interacting with, porousmaterials. The proposal is inserted into a wider numericaland experimental activity, supported by different Italianand foreigner private companies and public agencies.

Methods and techniques that will bedeveloped and used to carry out theresearch

Numerical modelling requires moving on with newtechniques, stemming from standard finite element

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approaches, based on approximation methods moreflexible in view of parallel implementation. A balancedcombination of field and laboratory tests will also supportaccurate material characterisation.

Educational objectives

The proposed work can contribute to form a completescientific personality. The three basic ingredient ofeducation will combine: theoretical modelling, numericaldevelopments and experimental testing.

Job opportunities

The proposed research project will allow the Ph.D.student to come in contact with a broad family ofgeotechnical/structural/biomechanical problems and to getan in-depth knowledge of different theoretical subjects.Working in this project will be stimulating and will favourhigh-level career profile in advanced fields of engineering.

Composition of the research group

1 Full Professors1 Associated Professors2 Assistant Professors2 PhD Students

Name of the research directors Anna Pandolfi, Donatella Sterpi

Contacts

[email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. +390223994311www.dica.polimi.it

Additional support - Financial aid per PhD student per year (gross amount)

Housing - Foreign Students --

Housing - Out-of-town residents(more than 80Km out of Milano) --

Additional information: educational activity, teaching assistantship, computer availability, desk availability,any other informations

Educational activityThe Ph.D. course supports the educational activities of its Ph.D. students with an additionalfunding equal to 10% of the scholarship, starting from the second year. In some cases, students

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will be allowed to use part of this funding also in the first year.

Teaching assistantshipPh.D. students are encouraged to apply, upon prior authorization, to the calls to support teachingactivities at the undegraduate and Master levels at Politecnico, being paid for that. The teachingassistantship will be limited up to about 80 hours, typically devoted to support classworks andexams.

Computer availabilityEach Ph.D. student has his/her own computer for individual use.

Desk availabilityEach Ph.D. student has his/her own desk, cabinet and locker.

List of universities, companies, agencies and/or national or international institutions thatare cooperating in the research

TU, Delft, Netherlands•

UPC, Barcelona, Spain•

Caltech, Pasadena, USA•

EPFL, Lausanne, CH•

University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany•

MIUR, Roma, Italy7. E.N.I., S. Donato, Italy8. Technital S.p.A., Milano, Italy•

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Research Field: CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS AND CONCRETE STRUCTURES UNDER

EXTREME AND EXCEPTIONAL LOADING





Concrete, reinforced/prestressed concrete and advancedcementitious composites are so extensively used todaythat many are the structures exposed to either extremeenvironmental conditions (high corrosion, high/lowtemperature) or exceptional loads (fire, explosions,vehicle impact, bombing, natural disasters). Hence,improving structural durability and preventing progressivestructural failures is becoming one of the imperatives forstructural engineering and code-writing bodies. Thequantitative assessment of damage in any structureexposed to extreme and exceptional loads is a basic stepfor risk-mitigation design. To this purpose, non-standardexperimental techniques, accurate material models andadvanced computational approaches should bedeveloped.


Both experimental techniques and numerical methods areneeded to solve the still-open problems in severely-corroded or fire/blast-damaged structures. For instance,assessing the decay of bar-concrete bond under chlorideattack requires special techniques to accelerate thecorrosion rate and to quantify the damage. Testingconcrete at high temperature needs split-tube furnaces tobe designed and constructed. Investigating materials andstructural behaviors under blast requires special deviceslike shock tubes or scaled experimental models.

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Evaluating fracture energy and size effect in concretestructures requires special specimens. Assessingconcrete damage via nondestructive test methods basedon concrete colorimetry, ultrasounds and x-rays, as wellas linking concrete fresh-state properties to those afterhardening are bringing in advanced techniques. At thesame time, adequate theoretical and numerical models atthe meso-structural and structural level are beingdeveloped, to be implemented into available FE codes.


Designing concrete structures for durability, fire proofingand blast resistance requires a multi-disciplinaryapproach, since many and different topics are involved(materials, structures, human and structural safety, heattransfer, diffusion of chemical products, chemistry ofcombustion, chemistry of concrete , fluid- structureinteraction..). Consequently, the Candidate will not onlyhave the opportunity to contribute to the broadening of theknowledge in one or more directions, but will have also aninsight into a variety of problems, with high technical andsocio-economical impact.

Job opportunities

In-depth research activities concerning the mechanicalenvironment-induced decay of structural materials andconstructions is a sound basis for understanding andmastering not only corrosion-, fire- and blast-relatedevents, but any incident that may regard other scenariosrelated to the safety of large and socially- relevantstructures. The job opportunities are basically the sameas for structural engineers (universities, public and privateresearch centers, large engineering firms, consulting andinsurance companies), but with a plus granted by a large-spectrum formation.



Name of the research directors Marco di Prisco

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Contacts

[email protected] - tel. +390223994400www.dica.polimi.it





Educational activity

Teaching assistantship

Computer availability

Desk availability

List of universities, companies and agencies and/or national or international institutions that arecooperating in the researchSUPSI, Canobbio-Lugano (Switzerland) http://www.supsi.ch/Ben Gurion University of the Negev (Israel) http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/University of Stuttgart (Germany) http:www.uni- stuttgart.deArizona State University (USA) http://www.asu.edu/ETHZurich (Switzerland)EPFLLausanne (Switzerland)Northwestern University, Evanston (Illinois,USA)INSAMech. et Durabilité des Constr., Toulouse (France)CTG-Italcementi, Bergamo(Italy)CSTB-Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment, Marne-La-Vallée (France)RELUIS (http://www.reluis.it)

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Research Field: COMPUTATIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS





The proposed subject represents an advanced topicformulti-disciplinary research activities, involvingexpertisein engineering, physics, and medicine. Onebiennialproject (5 per mille Politecnico, 80.000,00), andanother grant for equipment (Fondazione Banca delMonte) have been achieved on this topic by Dr. R. Fedeleand are now concluded. The CARIPLO projectcoordinated by Prof. Mariani and granted for the next twoyears will include also X-ray microCT investigations onpolymeric foam samples.The main innovative content isrepresented by the information provided through X-raysmicroCT, which, if properly analysed through computertools, advanced mechanical models and inverse analyses,can represent a sound basis, not only qualitative but trulyquantitative, for characterization and modeling ofmaterials and constructs at different scales.


The subject in point will combine non-conventionalexperiments, mathematical modeling in a frameworkartlessy multi-scale, and inverse analyses in a sequence(3D Digital Image Correlation, parameter identification). Inparticular, X-ray computed microtomography will allowone to reconstruct the inner (bulk) microstructure ofheterogeneous samples, possibly evolving under complexloading.Moreover, conventional experimental techniquesat themacroscale, so far applied in engineering and to bepossibly improved, will be considered for a crossvalidation.

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The main objective from an educational standpoint isrepresented by a full-immersion training into the worldofexperiments, computer simulations and multidisciplinaryapplications, rooted into the knowledge of computationalmechanics, advanced technologies and matter physics. Adoctoral course on this subject was activated last year.

Job opportunities

From the standpoint of academic career, the work in thismultidisciplinary topic will allow Ph.D. students to achievea wide preparation, both experimental and numerical,oriented to a variety of engineering and biomedicalapplications, that is expected to be greatly appreciated bymany research groups in Europe and in the US.Lately,one post-doc co-worker found a research positionabroad.Also private enterprises will appreciate thisexpertise, at the frontier between several disciplines andespecially suitable for R&D activities.



Name of the research directors Roberto Fedele, Stefano Mariani

Contacts






Educational activity

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The Ph.D. course supports the educational activities of its Ph.D. students with an additionalfunding equal to 10% of the scholarship, starting from the second year. In some cases, studentswill be allowed to use part of this funding also in the first year.


Computer availabilityEac Each Ph.D. student has his/her own computer for individual use.



Bologna, Dept Physics-INFN•

EMPA (Zurich)•

LMT-ENS Cachan•

University of Milano Bicocca - Geology•

University of Milano - Faculty of Medicine and Surgery•

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Research Field: COMPUTATIONAL MECHANICS OF MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES





New modeling capabilities at both material and structurallevels, and innovative computational procedures arefavoring considerable advances in various fields ofstructural engineering, with important fallouts in industrialapplications. Further research efforts are needed todevelop more accurate and efficient procedures in thefollowing contexts among others: (a) multi-physicsproblems; (b) nonlinear analyses of structures andindustrial components; (c) inverse analyses aimed atcalibrating material models; (d) safety assessment ofexisting ageing structures.


Advances in computational methodologies (by means ofFEM, X-FEM, particle-FEM, and BEM) applied to variouschallenging and present-day engineering problems, alsoin multi-scale contexts; inverse analysis based on physicalmeasurements for damage identification and for materialcharacterization (at various scales).


The Ph.D. student engaged in this rather interdisciplinaryproject is expected to acquire the ability to tackle complexproblems and to develop effective problem-tailoredsolution procedures.

Job opportunities There is a growing need for post-docs with specific1 / 3

expertise in computational mechanics and in integrity-assessment methodologies applicable both to civilengineering structures/infrastructures and to industrialcomponents.



Name of the research directors Claudia Comi, Giorgio Novati, Umberto Perego

Contacts

[email protected] - tel. [email protected] - tel. +390223994257 [email protected] - tel. +390223994214www.dica.polimi.it





Educational activityThe Ph.D. course supports the educational activities of its Ph.D. students with an additionalfunding equal to 10% of the scholarship, starting from the second year. In some cases, studentswill be allowed to use part of this funding also in the first year.




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List of universities, companies, agencies and/or national and international institutions thatare cooperating in the researchUniversities:

LMT-Cachan, Laboratoire de Mécanique et Technologie, Cachan (Paris)•

École Polytechnique, Paris•

Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw•

Poznan University, Poland•Companies:

Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI)•

Venezia Tecnologie (VETEC)•

Dalmine S.p.A.•

Tetra Pak Packaging Solution•

Rtm Breda, Cormano (Milan)•National/International Institutions

CESI Ricerca (Centro Elettrico Sperimentale Italiano, Milano)•KMM-VIN (European Virtual Institute)

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Research Field: D-ZONES AND ANCHORAGES UNDER SEVERE CONDITIONS





Several aspects of reinforced-concrete structures are stillopen to investigation. Among them the strengthening ofexisting members and the coupling of different membersare considered in this research project. Structuralstrengthening via external bonding of fiber- reinforcedpolymer (FRP) composites has become a populartechnique all over the world. The performance of theinterface between FRP and concrete is one of the keyfactors affecting the behavior of the strengthenedstructure. Many experimental and theoretical results areavailable nowadays on the behavior of these bondedinterfaces, but there is still a number of open questionsregarding (a) how the bonded length and the FRC platestiffness affect the behavior of the interface and (b) towhat an extent the local phenomena at the ends of theinterface affect the structural response. Nonetheless veryfew data exist regarding the variation of bond propertiesafter exposure to fire.The coupling of different R/C members and the steel toconcrete connection are often performed by means ofpost- installed rebar or anchors, respectively. In bothcases they aim to transfer externally-applied loads to theconcrete member. Anchors fail in different ways, butanchors pullout from the concrete is the best known, asit represents the biggest concern for structural-engineering applications. In the mid 1980s,unconservative and incorrect formulas for the prediction ofthe pullout capacity were proposed, on the basis of thetheory of plasticity. Later, progressive crack propagation

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along a single fractured surface was recognized as thedriving force behind headed-anchors pull-out, and linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) allowed to work out theso-called CCD method (Concrete Capacity Designformula, by Fuchs et al., 1995)]. However, several aspectsare not considered, yet, like the behavior of anchors andpost-installed rebar under seismic action or themodifications of strut-and-tie mechanism in D- regions orR/C elements induced by an anchor.


Both the FRP layers bonded to the concrete and theanchors embedded in the concrete need suitablenumerical models to be developed, in order to investigatethe shear- stress distribution at the interface in the formercase and the load-displacement response in the lattercase, under both static and dynamic loads. In the former case, appropriate bi-linear bond laws will beimplemented. From an experimental point of view, post-installed anchors and rebars will be tested under seismic-type loads, with two components (a shear component andan axial component) or in real scale beam-to-column andcolumn-to-foundation nodes. Anchors behavior will bealso modeled by means of 3-D FE codes.


Concrete and Reinforced-Concrete Mechanics are rathermulti-disciplinary, since many and different topics areinvolved (materials, structures, technological aspects,structural design, testing, modeling,..). Consequently, thecandidate will not only have the opportunity to contributeto the broadening of the knowledge in one or moredirections, but will have also an insight into a variety ofproblems, with high technical and socio-economicalimpact.

Job opportunities

An in-depth research activity in the field of concrete andR/C mechanics is a sound basis for understanding andmastering not only concrete-related phenomena, but alsothe structural behavior in a broad sense, that are usedtoday in a variety of applications. The opportunities are

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basically the same as for any structural engineer, but witha plus granted by a large-spectrum formation. In addition,the specific knowledge in the field of post-installedconnection can guarantee a career in the R&Ddepartment of anchor manufacturing companies.



Name of the research directors Gianpaolo Rosati

Contacts

[email protected] - tel. +390223994377www.dica.polimi.it









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List of universities, companies and agencies and/or national or international institutionsthat are cooperating in the research

University of British Columbia (Vancouver,Canada)•

University of Stuttgart (Stuttgart,Germany)•

UPC (Barcellona,Spain)•

MAPEI•

HILTI•

CTG-Italcementi (Bergamo,Italy)•

ECAP-European Consortium of Anchor Producers•

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Research Field: EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS





Topics:Modelling of of r.c. structures under seismic actionsModelling of steel structures under seismic actionsSafety assessment of isolated industrial buildingsSeismic design of modularized industrial structuresDynamics of slender systems with geometrical andmechanical nonlinearitiesDynamics and control of bridges under wind andearthquake excitationVehicle-structure and pedestrian-structure interactionDynamic response of tall buildings under wind excitationDynamic response and seismic design of large machinefoundationsDynamic response of offshore structuresExperimental and numerical techniques in dynamic fluid-structure interaction


(a) Numerical procedures for the non-linear dynamicanalysis of structural systems under dynamicenvironmental excitation;(b) Analytical and numerical methods for the estimation ofthe response of uncertain structural systems underrandom dynamic excitation.

Educational objectivesThe Ph.D. student is expected to develop multi-disciplinary skills, that will allow him/her to communicatewith researchers from different related fields, such as

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seismologists, geologists, earthquake and geotechnicalengineers.

Job opportunitiesEmployment is possible in research centers and inconsulting companies.



Name of the research directors Maria G. Mulas, Federico Perotti, Lorenza Petrini

Contacts

[email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. +390223994307www.dica.polimi.it








Desk availability2 / 3

Each Ph. D. student has his/her own desk, cabinet and locker.


ENEA,Bologna•

ANIMP,Milano•

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Research Field: GEOTECHNICAL EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING





In most recent earthquakes, widespread damage wasinduced by soil instability and soil-structure interactionproblems. The main objectives of research in this field arethe following:(a) advanced numerical and experimental techniques tostudy dynamic soil behavior for improved seismiccharacterization of sites, including slope stability andliquefaction;(b) investigation of the role of nonlinear dynamic soil-structure interaction on the seismic response ofstructures;(c) high-performance numerical approaches to studyseismic wave propagation from the seismic source to thestructure;(d) investigations for improved seismic actions for design.


(a) 2D and 3D numerical codes for seismic wavepropagation in the linear and nonlinear range;(b) analytical and numerical methods for nonlinear soil-structure interaction analyses;(c) macroelement constitutive approaches forshallow/deep foundations.


The Ph.D. student is expected to develop multi-disciplinary skills, that will allow him/her to communicatewith researchers from different related fields, such asseismologists, geologists, earthquake and geotechnical

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engineers.

Job opportunities

The most direct career opportunities offered by thisresearch field are within research institutions (universities,public or private research centers), large engineeringfirms and consulting companies.



Name of the research directors Roberto Paolucci, Claudio di Prisco

Contacts








Computer availabilityEach Ph.D. student has his computer for individual use.

Desk availability2 / 3

Each Ph.D. student has his own desk, cabinet and locker.

List of universities, companies or agencies and /or national or international institutionsthat are cooperating in the researchEucentre, Pavia (Italy) http://www.eucentre.itIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Italy) http://www.ingv.itRELUIS (http://ww.reluis.it)University of DavisAristotle University of Thessaloniky, Greece (prof. K. Pitilakis) http://www.auth.gr

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Research Field: LIFE-CYCLE PERFORMANCE OF BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES





The aim of this research project is extending/optimizingthe lifetime of bridges and structures experiencingdamage due to material degradation (caused e.g. bycorrosion), extreme events (e.g. earthquakes) or heavysustained and repeated loads (e.g. high stress andfatigue). The following topics may be chosen by thecandidate for her/his thesis: (a) modeling of damagedcables behavior; (b) assessment of residual load bearingcapacity of bridges suspended by damaged cables;(c)residual lifetime of concrete structures exposed tocorrosion; (d) assessment of lifetime seismic performanceof structures and infrastructures;(e) methodologies andprocedures for life-cycle analysis, design, andoptimization of bridges and civil structures, including maintenance planning and decommissioning.


The attainment of the objectives (a, b) of this researchproject will require both the theoretical modeling ofcorroded wires/ropes/cables and numerical non linearanalysis of systems composed or suspended by corrodedcables. Topics (c, d) will include criteria and methods formodeling damage effects in corroded structures, as wellas theoretical modeling by using newly-developed codesor already available FE codes. For topic (e), performance-based techniques will be developed for the lifetimeassessment and optimization of bridges and structures.

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The proposed research is multi-disciplinary, since manyand different topics are involved (mechanics of materialsand structures, material degradation processes, structuralsafety and reliability, risk analysis, structural robustness,seismic resilience, among others). A solid knowledge andexpertise in the fields of nonlinear mechanics of materials,structural analysis methods, applied chemistry, statisticsand probability, are requested.

Job opportunities

Job opportunities are available in companies involved inthe design and retrofitting of bridges and buildings, inpublic authorities involved in life-cycle assessment andoptimization of structures and infrastructure networks.



Name of the research directors Fabio Biondini, Pier Giorgio Malerba

Contacts

[email protected] tel. +390223994394 [email protected] tel. +390223994397 www.dica.polimi.it






Teaching assistantshipPh.D. students are encouraged to apply, upon prior authorization, to the calls to support teaching

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activities at the undegraduate and Master levels at Politecnico, being paid for that. The teachingassistantship will be limited up to about 80 hours, typically devoted to support classworks andexams.




Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic•

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA•

Technical University of Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain•

Kansai University, Osaka, Japan•

University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand•

Tongji University, Shangai, China•

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Research Field: MICRO ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND MICROMECHANICS





Studying, designing, testing and numerical modelling ofMicro- and Nano- Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS,NEMS) is quite demanding, since MEMS and NEMS arehighly sophisticated devices, where electronics is coupledwith mechanical parts to the purpose of creating micro-and nano-sensors, micro- and nano-actuators, as well asmicro-fluidic devices. MEMS are commonly used inautomotive, aerospace and consumer-orientedengineering. Other fields will take advantage of thesedevices in the next future, like structural engineering,where MEMS may be used for monitoring and self-actuation and biomedical engineering. Strictly related tothe field of MEMS are issues related to micromechanics ofmaterials and structures.


MEMS-oriented research needs a highly multi-disciplinaryapproach and a deep knowledge of the fundamentals ofphysics, mechanics and electronics, as well as a certainfamiliarity with todays sophisticated techniques fornumerical modelling and simulations.


Since the proposed research project is highly multi-disciplinary, the candidate will have the opportunity tocollaborate with a number of laboratories and researchgroups either in the Department of Civil andEnvironmental Engineering or in other Departments of the

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Politecnico di Milano, in industries and in internationalresearch centers. He/she will acquire specializedknowledge on MEMS and their related research fields, likemicromechanics.

Job opportunities

Direct employment in MEMS- and NEMS-researchcenters and industries in Europe and all-over the world.Job opportunities in other fields, where experts in multi-physics problems, micro-mechanics, testing andcomputational methods are requested.



Name of the research directors Alberto Corigliano, Attilio Frangi

Contacts

[email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. +390223994213www.mems.polimi.ithttp://www.lab4mems.upb.ro/http://www.go4time.eu/







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List of universities, companies, agencies and/or national international institutions that arecooperating in the research

STMicroelectronics www.st.com•

Eniac funded project Lab4MEMS http://www.lab4mems.upb.ro/•

EU funded project Go4Time http://www.go4time.eu/•

IMEC www.imec.be5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology web.mit.edu/•

BSAC BERKELEY SENSOR & ACTUATOR CENTER http://www-bsac.eecs.berkeley.edu/7.

University of Freiburg, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS),http://simulation.uni-

freiburg.de/

•

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Research Field: MICROSEISMIC MONITORING OF UNSTABLE ROCK SLOPES





The use of acoustic emissions in civil engineering is notnew. However, its application to unstable rock slopes formonitoring the intensity of the fracturing activity is still verylittle explored. On the contrary, the application of thistechnology in the oil and gas industry for microseismicmonitoring of hydrocarbon reservoirs stimulated withhydrofracturing techniques has been growing very rapidly.Thus, the objective is to explore the potential of thistechnology in its application to unstable rock slopes withthe perspective of developing an early warning system. The research project will take advantage of the lastdecade scientific and technological advancementsachieved in the hydrocarbon industry but newdevelopments are expected for tuning the technology forthe specific application. The peculiarity of the environmentof a rockslope requires new studies aimed atunderstanding how the microseismic signals generated byfracturing phenomena can be discriminated by natural noise induced by rainfalls, wind, storms, electromagneticnoise. Seasonal effects related with temperature must bestudied and deconvolved from the data. New algorithmsmust be developed for statistical analysis of these data.Characterization and localization of microseismic eventsis needed in order to feed a database that the earlywarning system will use to detect unusual occurrences ofevents in terms of frequency, intensity, localization orother parameters.

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A sensor network already installed on a rockslope will beavailable for this project. The candidate will have theopportunity to analyze the data of the last year plus thenew data that will be recorded during the Ph.D. period.Possible developments where the candidate will have thechance to contribute are: (a) statistical data analysis anddata denoising;(b) analysis of data correlation with meteoevents and study of seasonal cycles; (c) correlation withstrain-gage measurements; (d) lab experiments on smallrock specimens to simulate freeze-thaw cycles andmeasure microfracturing noise; (e) event localizationthrough traveltime delay analysis and through amplitudeanalysis; (f) field tomographic experiments to characterizethe rockslope in terms of seismic velocity and seismicattenuation distribution (the velocity and attenuation fieldare needed for event localization);(g) controlledsimulations of small rockfalls to characterize themicroseismic signature of rockfalls;(h) integration withother monitoring systems (e.g., phogrammetricsystems);(i) development of early warning criteria.


The candidate will increase her/his expertise in the fieldsof civil protection, geo-engineering techniques,geophysical data analysis, statistical classification,acoustic emission method, remote sensing methods (e.g.,photogrammetry, GB-SAR), other geophysical and NDTmethods.

Job opportunities

The research is expected to open job opportunities in:research institutions (universities, research centers), public or private organizations involved with civilprotection activities, environmental consulting or servicecompanies, engineering companies offering NDT anddiagnostic services for the civil engineering sector,industries of the hydrocarbon sector.



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Name of the research directors Luigi Zanzi

Contacts

[email protected] tel. +390223994271www.dica.polimi.it










J. Fourier University, Grenoble, France•

Stuttgart University, Germany•

NORSAR (Norway)•

ETH, Zurich, Switzerland•

CNR, Italy•

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Research Field: SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES





Sensors and actuators can be conveniently embeddedinto composites to design smart structures, able to self-detect possible local failures or to react in real time tochanging environmental conditions.Smart materials areinstead optimized in their microstructure to tailor theirstiffness, strength, toughness, and then better withstandthe external loadings. Functionally graded and ionicpolymer-metal composites will be adopted in the foreseenexperimental activity.


Computational mechanics: multi-physics approach tomodel the sensing and actuation processes, and thecoupled materials behaviour.Experimental mechanics:embedding sensors into composite plates to build self-sensing, smart structures.


The research field is across materials and structuralengineering. Hence, PhD students are expected todevelop a multidisciplinary approach to the problem.

Job opportunities

Due to the very research-oriented goal of the project,direct employment in research centers or agencies, andindustries all-over the world.

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Name of the research directors Stefano Mariani, Alberto Taliercio, Matteo Bruggi

Contacts

[email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. [email protected] - tel. +390223994250www.dica.polimi.itwww.mems.polimi.it





Educational activitiesThe Ph.D. course supports the educational activities of its Ph.D. students with an additionalfunding equal to 10% of the scholarship, starting from the second year. In some cases, studentswill be allowed to use part of this funding also in the first year.





Polytechnic Institute of New York University•2 / 3

EADS Innovation Works•

CANEUS International•

STMicroelectronics•

Università La Sapienza, Roma•

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Research Field: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF BUILT HERITAGE





The research program deals with the engineering ofconservation of existing structures, with a focus on thestructural analysis of architectural heritage. In details, thestudy of built heritage is a multi-disciplinary approach,which considers surveying, monitoring, diagnosticinvestigation, structural analysis, experimental tests, non-linear computer modelling, repairing and strengtheningtechniques, etc... The research project will take intoaccount the estimated residual life of existing structuresaffected by damage due to aging, degradation of thematerial (for example caused by aggressive environment)and hazard events (such as earthquakes, landslides), withthe objective of developing a methodology able toevaluate and compare, in terms of safety, reliability andcost, different scenarios of maintenance and/orrehabilitation and their applicability on civil or industrialexisting constructions, with a focus on buildings withcultural value, included constructions built in the 50s andwhich already present different levels of damage.


The following topics may be chosen by the candidate forher/his thesis: (a) laboratory experimental research on materialcharacteristics and constitutive laws;(b) experimental research and calibration of different NonDestructive Techniques (NDT);(c) modeling of the material deterioration;(d) modeling of material and structural behavior during

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hazardous events;(e) assessment of residual lifetime of deterioratedstructures;(f) assessment of vulnerability of existing buildings inseismic area (e.g. historical centers).


The candidate will increase her/his expertise in the fieldsof nonlinear mechanics of materials, structural analysis,applied chemistry, statistics and probability, NDTmethods.

Job opportunities

The research is expected to open job opportunities as amresearcher within research institutions (universities,research centers), as field engineer or architect in privatecompanies involved in design and rehabilitation.



Name of the research directors Luigi Zanzi, Elsa Garavaglia, Lorenza Petrini

Contacts

[email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. [email protected] tel. +39022399www.dica.polimi.it






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TokyoDenkiUniversity•

TechnicalUniversityofCatalunya•

ThePennsylvaniaStateUniversity•

UniversityofMinho•

KULeuven•

UniversityofPadua•

RELUIS(http://ww.reluis.it)•

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PhD in STRUCTURAL SEISMIC AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING ... · phd in structural seismic and...

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