Doctoral student on dynamic loads for hydropower concrete structures - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Civil and Architectural Engineering, with specialization in Concrete Structures

The division for Concrete Structures at KTH Civil and Architectural Engineering is in search for a doctoral student to be assigned a project on reinforced concrete structures within hydropower. The full potential for efficient hydropower production is relying on, among other things, the prerequisite that the hydro-mechanical and hydro-electrical components as runners and generators are sufficiently supported by the surrounding concrete structures to avoid unexpected vibrations or movements. In-depth analysis of real hydropower unit structural measurements together with dynamic FE modelling will be used to better understand the impact from the rotating unit on the supporting concrete structure. Both the risk for crack propagation under exposure from short-term load patterns caused by flexible operation as well as potential fatigue from long-term vibrations during decades of operation will be studied.

The project is part of a national research program within the hydropower area called SVC – Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower. The research is carried out in collaboration with senior researchers at KTH and another doctoral student at Luleå University of Technology and industry partners. The objective with the project is to find strategies to minimize the risk for unpredicted downtime on hydropower units due to concrete structure related issues or vibrations induced as a result of deficiencies causing reduced stiffness in hydropower unit concrete supports. The goal is to assure a long-life span of the concrete structures supporting hydropower units even after replacing the runner and generator several times.

Supervision: Professor Anders Ansell and Adjunct professor Erik Nordström is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission.

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.Read more
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Help to relocate and be settled in Sweden and at KTH.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6, read more here

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyse and work with complex issues.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal competency. 

We will especially welcome applicants with exams that covers the areas of concrete structures, structural engineering and structural mechanics, also with experiences from structural dynamic analysis and testing, and from using advanced finite element modelling for structural analysis.

The position may include security-sensitive tasks. In order to be authorized to work in the project, you therefore need to pass a security check with the Security Police.

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years ' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Union representatives

You will find contact information for union representatives on KTH's website.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

You will find contact information for doctoral section on the section's website.

Application

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/entral European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief description of why you want to pursue research studies, about what your academic interests are and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Maximum 2 pages long)
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages.Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process please read here.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.