Digital concepts for modular timber structures within the 9R framework for regenerative building

Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Civil and Architectural Engineering programme. The position is available from 1 November 2024 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

Title:
Digital concepts for modular timber structures within the 9R framework for regenerative building

Research area and project description:
Join our innovative and cross-disciplinary research team and contribute to the future of sustainable construction! We seek an excellent PhD candidate in Structural Engineering to explore modular timber structures, focusing on both panelized systems and volumetric modules. Your research will enhance the robustness and sustainability of buildings through advanced circular economy practices.

You will be associated with the ASCEND project (Advancing Sustainable Circularity for Eco-friendly Net-zero Developments), funded by EU Interreg ÖKS, aims to revolutionize sustainable development. Our research framework centers on the 9R concept for circular economy: Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, and Recycle. Key topics include digitalization and automation in construction, hierarchical approaches in analysis, design, documentation, and construction, and design for disassembly and adaptation. We focus on new buildings as well as renovating, transforming, and retrofitting existing ones. By integrating these strategies, we aim to achieve eco-friendly, net-zero developments that minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency.

As part of your work, you will collaborate with experts from Aarhus University as well as Lund University, and you will be associated with Aarhus Center for Regenerative Building. The ASCEND project also involves numerous industrial participants from across Scandinavia, providing a rich collaborative environment and practical application opportunities for your research.

Your research will delve into the structural performance of modular timber structures, emphasizing panelized systems and volumetric modules. You will investigate the robustness and resilience of these structures using advanced computational models and measurements. This will involve integrating digital tools and techniques to optimize structural performance. Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, you will explore innovative structural solutions that enhance sustainability and resource efficiency, addressing the challenges of circular economy practices. Your research findings will be shared through high-impact publications and presentations at international conferences, shaping the future of sustainable building practices.

Project description
For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.

Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants must have a relevant Master’s degree (120 ECTS) or at least one year of a Master’s degree related to Structural, Civil or Architectural Engineering, specializing in structural design. Good communication skills are essential. Proficiency with Danish or another Scandinavian language is preferred.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Navitas, Inge Lehmanns Gade 10, 8000 Aarhus C.

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact:

• Lars Vabbersgaard Andersen, [email protected] (main supervisor)
• Steffen Petersen, [email protected] (co-supervisor)

How to apply:
Please follow this link to submit your application.
Application deadline is 22 September 20024 at 23:59 CEST.
Preferred starting date is 1 November 2024.

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide.

Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.