Job description
The building materials industry is a large consumer of primary raw materials, water and energy. On the other hand, there are many alternative raw materials that can substitute primary raw materials. An important source is construction and demolition waste. Utilizing these C&D streams saves resources and prevents landfill.
This project aims to treat and valorize various C&D waste streams in new ingredients and/or new building materials. Examples are concrete, masonry, mineral wool, glass, plastics, and wood. All these streams need mechanical/physical/thermal/chemical treatments such as crushing, shredding, milling, washing, classification etc. These unit operations are accompanied by innovative characterization and modeling techniques.
The Building Materials group contains 25 PhDs, 1 postdoc, 3 assistant professors, 1 associate professor and 2 full professors. The BM group works on new, sustainable building materials containing or synthesized from secondary raw materials with good chemical, physical and aesthetic properties and added functionalities. Examples are natural fibers, fly ashes, nano-silica, aerogels, slags or recycled aggregates. Functionalities, including fire resistance, air purification, self-cleaning, high performance, hydrophobicity, are investigated and developed for these building materials. Moreover, durability and sustainability, such as the degradation of, or leaching from, building materials when exposed to aggressive service environments, is studied. The investigations are carried out based on experimental observations and modeling.
The research group possesses a well-equipped, state-of-the-art building material laboratory for physical/chemical/mechanical/environmental treatment and testing, as well as crushing, shredder, milling, sieving etc. equipment, and has access to the structural design laboratory at the same department, and shares facilities with the sister Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry. The group has close contacts with the building material industry and frequently cooperating with other researchers, both domestic and international.
Requirements
We are looking for excellent and highly motivated candidates with a PhD degree in engineering with an interest in both modeling and experimentation and strong experience with circularity.
You should be able to work independently, have strong communication skills, the attitude to participate successfully in an international and multidisciplinary team, and the ability to teach and supervise PhD students.
Any of the following could be considered an advantage and should be mentioned in the motivation letter:
- PhD in engineering (e.g. mining, mechanical, civil, chemical…) focusing on the circularity of materials
- Having several publications and scientific communications in this field
- Previous experience with building materials and their processing/characterization
- Experience with relevant chemical/physical/mechanical characterization techniques (XRD, XRF, SEM, FTIR, tensile, flexural etc…)
- Affinity with (raw) materials research and laboratory experience
- Good leadership skills shown by successful supervision of students/researchers
- Teaching experience
A sufficient English language level, both written and spoken, is required. Proofs of English level (such as certificates, coursework followed in English, manuscripts written in English etc.) should be mentioned. Candidates who do not the title of PhD/Doctor will not be considered for the current vacancy.