Department of Mechanics: Vacancies: UCEEB Postdocs

Announcement

The Czech Technical University in Prague - University Center for Energy Efficient Buildings (UCEEB) offers eight post-doctoral positions in the field of modeling, simulation, assessment and optimization of multi-functional materials and structures.

Start date: as soon as possible after 21 June 2013, until all positions are filled
Contract duration: until 30 June 2015 (with a critical evaluation after the first year)

UCEEB in brief

Launched in October 2012, UCEEB is a newly established joint project of five faculties of the Czech Technical University in Prague. The mission of the Center is to perform high-level interdisciplinary research in the field of energy savings in buildings, utilizing a simulation- based engineering approach. The theoretical research activities will be systematically complemented with experimental validation, performed in a full-scale setting. This will provide unique data on materials, structures, and systems of intelligent control, including on their impact on the built and natural environment. Development of the Center is supported by the European Union through the Operational Program Research and Development for Innovations, project No. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0091.

Project organization

The present project integrates eight different topics aligned with the research activities of UCEEB. Each topic will be supervised by a mentor from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague, with long-term experience in the relevant fields of research. The project is supported by the European Union, through the Operational Program Research and Development for Innovations, project No. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0034.

The mentors involved in the project include, in alphabetical order:

• Robert Černý (full professor, Department of Materials Engineering and Chemistry, cernyr@fsv.cvut.cz), expert in theoretical and experimental investigation of heat, moisture and chemical compounds transport in building materials;
• Milan Jirásek (full professor, Department of Mechanics, Milan.Jirasek@fsv.cvut.cz), an expert in the modeling of inelastic and time-dependent behavior of materials and structures;
• Petr Štemberk (associate professor, Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures, stemberk@fsv.cvut.cz), an expert in the design of concrete structures, experimental and numerical analysis of concrete structures and concrete technology;
• Petr Konvalinka (full professor, Department of Mechanics and Head of the Experimental Centre, petr.konvalinka@fsv.cvut.cz), an expert in experimental and numerical investigation of civil engineering materials and structures;
• Petr Kuklík (associate professor, Department of Steel and Timber Structures, kuklik@fsv.cvut.cz), an expert in the design of timber structures, experimental and numerical analysis of timber structures and wood-based materials;
• Jan Zeman (associate professor, Department of Mechanics, zemanj@cml.fsv.cvut.cz), whose expertise lies in numerical and analytical methods for random heterogeneous materials.

Research topics

Drying and desalination of historical buildings using hydrophilic mineral wool

Mentor: Robert Černý

Description: Application of hydrophilic mineral wool materials for drying-out of flooded buildings and desalination of historical buildings will be analyzed by a combination of experimental and computational treatments. Complete sets of hygric, thermal and salt-related properties of hydrophilic mineral wool will be determined. The hygrothermal behavior of hydrophilic mineral wool materials in their supposed practical applications will be assessed in semi-scale experiments and computational service life prediction analyses.

Specific requirements: Basic knowledge of transport phenomena in porous materials.

Low-energy building materials

Mentor: Robert Černý

Description: Low-energy building materials on the basis of industrial waste products will be investigated. At first, selection and analysis of potential raw materials will be done and the technology of sample preparation will be designed. Then, mechanical, hygric and durability properties of the new materials will be tested. Basic service life assessment of newly developed materials at their application for specific building structures will be performed.

Specific requirements: Basic knowledge of experimental work in a physical or chemical laboratory.

Modeling of coupled cracking, creep and hygrothermal effects in construction materials

Mentor: Milan Jirásek

Description: The postdoctoral Fellow will work on a comprehensive model and simulation tool for the description of coupled thermo-hygro-mechanical effects in construction materials, in particular concrete. The model will take into account inelastic deformation processes (such as cracking or plastic yielding), viscous deformation processes, transport of moisture, and heat conduction. Particular attention will be paid to the mutual interaction between the mechanical problem and the heat and mass transfer, e.g. to the effect of temperature and humidity on creep, or to the effect of cracking on diffusivity and conductivity.

Specific requirements: Experience with nonlinear finite element analysis, good background in viscoelasticity, plasticity and continuum damage mechanics, excellent programming skills (preferably C++ or similar object-oriented languages).

Ultra High Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) in different loading condition

Mentor: Petr Konvalinka

Description: The research work will be focused on experimental and numerical response of UHPFRC under intermediate strain rates developed in machine simulating impact. In addition mechanical parameters such as compressive, direct tensile and flexural strength and modulus of elasticity at high strain rates will be measured. The energy absorption capacity of both notched and un-notched beams subjected to quasi-static and impact loading will be compared.

Specific requirements: Depending on the specific background of the candidate, experience in experimental and numerical investigation of mechanical parameters of civil engineering materials and structures.

Wood-based materials

Mentor: Petr Kuklík

Description: Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties of wood and wood-based products by destructive and non-destructive methods. Investigation of microstructure of wood and wood based materials. Development of wood-based materials. Modification of wood and wood-based materials in order to enhance their quality (UV-stability, durability, fire resistance, etc.).

Specific requirements: Good knowledge of wood mechanics, experience with experimental work in laboratory, with emphasis on microscopic evaluation of wood and wood-based materials (the ability to work with electron microscope).

Numerical and experimental analysis of concrete performance in irradiated environment

Mentor: Petr Štemberk

Description: The primary aim of this topic is to assess the effect of concrete composition on its long-term shielding performance when exposed to various types of radiation. Specifically, the following issues will be targeted: the effect of nanoparticles in composition, the possibility of release of nanoparticles from concrete, the activity of released nanoparticles, the possible reduction of thickness of shielding walls, the minimization of crack during construction technology. The results will be applicable for nuclear facilities and hospitals.

Specific requirements: Reasonable knowledge in the field. Basic programming skills in MATLAB.

Micromechanical modeling of thermal and acoustic insulation materials

Mentor: Jan Zeman

Description: The aim of this topic is to develop inexpensive analytical models to quantify thermal and acoustic properties of highly porous building materials utilized in energy-efficient buildings by exploring the available tools of continuum micromechanics. To this purpose, the Fellow will develop models of micro- and nano-structure of such materials, investigate the relevant structure-property relationships and utilize these results to validate the model against available data and experiments performed at UCEEB (not necessarily by the Fellow). Attention will be paid to a consistent incorporation of surface effects, so that the developed models will also be applicable to nanocomposites.

Specific requirements: Previous experience with analytical or computational homogenization theories is a strong plus. The candidate is also expected to verify the developed (analytical) models against detailed numerical simulations. Therefore, good working knowledge of numerical simulation tools and basic proficiency in computer programming is welcome.

Development of FFT-based solvers for homogenization of periodic media

Mentor: Jan Zeman

Description: The Fellow will work on the development of efficient homogenization algorithms for periodic media utilizing the Fast Fourier Transform. This method was proposed by Moulinec and Suquet in 1994, as an alternative to traditional finite element methods for pixel- and voxel-based media, and found numerous applications later on. The research activities in this topic will be based on recent results obtained by the Mentor and Dr. Jaroslav Vondřejc during his Ph.D. studies, which show that the original Moulinec-Suquet scheme is equivalent to the finite element method with a specific choice of basis functions. This opens interesting research directions in the fields of numerical mathematics (related to theoretical aspects) or/and in computational mechanics (with emphasis on applications).

Specific requirements: Depending on the scientific background of the candidate, experience in numerical analysis and scientific computing, or in computational mechanics and high-performance computations.

General requirements

We are looking for candidates who

• hold a Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in the research area related to the selected topic, issued from 29 March 2008 until 21 June 2013,
• have an ability to perform independent research with a strong emphasis on publications in refereed journals,
• possess excellent communication skills and written/verbal knowledge of the English language.

We offer

• the possibility to work in a newly established dynamic and ambitious research center with the state-of-the art equipment,
• a contract with a duration until 30 June 2015, with a critical evaluation after the first year,
• a gross salary of 56,000 CZK per month (approximately 2,200 Euro or 2,800 USD),
• a partial coverage of the mandatory social and medical insurance by the employer (the employee has to contribute 6.5% of the gross salary to pension insurance, 4.5% to health insurance and, according to the currently valid legislation, approximately 16.5% is deduced as income tax),
• the coverage of travel expenses of up to 55,000 CZK per year,
• the coverage of operating costs of up to 40,000 CZK per year,
• a three-month internship at a foreign university or a company.

Application

For more information, please contact the mentor using the e-mail address specified above.

Interested candidates are invited to send their applications directly to the relevant mentor no later than 31 January 2013. The application must contain

• a Curriculum Vitae (one page),
• a motivation letter (two pages), stating personal goals and research interests,
• a detailed list of publications,
• two letters of recommendation sent by the referees directly to the mentor (with detailed contact information: email, telephone number and address), one of them written by the previous supervisor,
• a certificate of proficiency in English (CAE, TOEFL or equivalent) or an electronic copy of the candidate’s Ph.D. thesis written in English.

Both national and international applications to this advertisement are appreciated. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until all the positions are filled. Promising candidates will be contacted by e-mail, and will be invited for an interview at the Czech Technical University in Prague (with reasonable travel costs covered by the project).

Important dates

• 31 May 2013, 24:00: Deadline for application submissions
• 4 June 2013: Review of applications, promising candidates will be contacted by e-mail
• 17 -- 21 June 2013: Personal interview at the Czech Technical University in Prague (with reasonable travel costs covered by the project), or a Skype conference

Evaluation criteria

• Publications in refereed journals (50%)
• Assessment of the mentor (25%)
• Quality of the motivation letter (25%)