1 PhD student position on Ice-free roads in Sweden | Chalmers University of Technology

The division of Building Technology is now looking for a PhD on ice-free roads. The position is within the research group Building Physics, which focuses on heat, air and moisture transport in the building envelope, in building systems (including district heating) and in infrastructures.

Project description

The PhD will work on a project for ice-free roads in cooperation with Europe's largest infrastructure project the Norwegian highway route E39 to generate concepts for ice-free roads. The aim of this project is to develop concepts for such ideas by using renewable energy such as ground heat, sea water and solar panels. Furthermore, the project will investigate the possibility of establishing a thermal storage close to infrastructures. The general concept will be using tubes/pipes in road/bridge deck in order to circulate stored hybrid energy (solar energy/ground heat/see water) tailored to the snow and ice that needs to be met. During summer the road or bridge is expected to work as a collector and the energy is stored in the ground.

Major responsibilities

Your major responsibilities as PhD student are to pursue your own doctoral studies. You are expected to develop your own scientific concepts and your skills to communicate the results of your research verbally and in writing, both in Swedish and in English. The position generally also includes teaching on Chalmers' undergraduate level or performing other duties corresponding to 20 per cent of working hours. You are expected to write a licentiate thesis within 2-3 years and defend your doctoral thesis within 4-5 years.

Qualifications:

To qualify as a PhD student, you must have (or expect to hold soon) a master's level degree corresponding to at least 240 higher education credits in a civil or environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, energy science or similar disciplines, and be able to demonstrate your capability to conduct research work. Numerical modelling skills and teaching experience is valued. Excellent writing and communication skills in English are required. If Swedish is not your native language, you are encouraged to learn it during your employment as a PhD student. Chalmers offers Swedish courses.