Postdoc in -scale Testing of Masonry Quay Wall

Join the TU Delft Structural Mechanics group to design a first-of-its-kind large-scale experimental campaign on historic masonry quay walls and help safeguard the future of Dutch canal cities.

Typical Dutch canal cities are currently facing challenges related to the maintenance and safety risk of historical inner city infrastructure. Among others, masonry quay walls represent a large portion of it, especially in major cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Den Bosch. To understand how to prioritise maintainance, there is a need to estimate the residual service life of these structures.

To this end, the TU Delft Structural Mechanics group has developed an advanced numerical modelling strategy to predict the response up to collapse of quay walls. Nevertheless, current laboratory or field experimental results for the validation of such models are limited.

As a postdoc, you will design a new large-scale experimental testing procedure to evaluate the response of a masonry quay-wall superstructure subject to both settlement and lateral out-of-plane loading up to failure. This will include a preliminary numerical study to identify the most representative loading scenarios, the design of novel large-scale set-up, and its verification through the first trial tests.

Your work will be formally part of the project CANALS, funded by the Dutch science foundation (NWO) and it will interface with the ongoing project on the “structural assessment of historical masonry infrastructure” funded by the AMS institute and the Municipality of Amsterdam. Both projects are led by Dr Rita Esposito and Dr Francesco Messali. This will allow you to work in a larger team with other PhDs, providing also the opportunity to gain experience in supervision of academic staff.

The candidate is therefore expected to enjoy working in a team.

The candidate will work in the group of Structural Mechanics and in the TU Delft Masonry lab (part of the Macrolab/Stevinlaboratorium) under the supervision of Dr Rita Esposito and Dr Francesco Messali. More information on the group and the research projects can be found here Structural Mechanics .

Job requirements

We are looking for an ambitious postdoctoral researcher with the following characteristics:

• A PhD degree in civil engineering, or other related areas.
• Knowledge and interest in experimental solid mechanics and, preferably, experience in the design and execution of large-scale tests.
• An enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate with good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work both in a project team and independently, while taking leadership and responsibility for research tasks.
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and presentation).
• Experience with research activities in the area of computational modelling of structures, particularly nonlinear finite element analysis of masonry, is considered a plus.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability,urbanisationand clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close…