Computing, Engineering and Built Environment opportunities

Indoor air quality improvement and overheating prevention in new build residential developments in the UK
Tall steel structure under wind load, fire and seismic force
Investigation of flow and heat transfer in micro channels using nano-fluids
Blockchain adoption and its implications on Supply Chain Performance
Structural performance of cross laminated timber (CLT) buildings under dynamic load
An integrated approach to improve hydraulic and hydrologic design of constructed wetlands
Numerical modelization of the physics of wetlands
The potential of constructed wetlands to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution
Assessing the potential of using new technologies to supplement flood warnings and exposure assessment in areas at risk of surface water flooding
Using Virtual Reality games to encourage positive flood resilient behaviours among at risk property owners
The development of a framework to support the resilience of commercial properties to flooding
Establishing the correlation between mixing speed and biogas production in anaerobic digestion
Effective communications for resilient water communities
Design planning and modelling of urban area in mitigating the risk of flood and drought with the application of CFD

Indoor air quality improvement and overheating prevention in new build residential developments in the UK

How to apply
The closing date for applications is 23.59 on Wednesday 17th July 2019.
You can find details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply – https://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/bsbe-research-degrees-phd-2019-20
When applying, please complete the online application form through the above provided link where you will be required to upload your proposal in place of a personal statement.
Reference: EBE-052019-PhD-4

Contact
For Informal academic enquiries please contact the academic supervisor, Dr Monica Mateo-Garcia (monica.mateogarcia@bcu.ac.uk)of the BIM and Visualisation Research Group, Centre of Engineering, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.
For all administrative enquiries please contact Bernadette Allen (bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk) from the Doctoral College, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.

Overview
Thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ) and overheating are important challenges facing the UK new build homes sector as a direct result of increased thermal insulation and air tightness combined with global warming and increasing levels of air pollution. This is putting occupiers comfort, well-being and health at risk leading to an increased burden on health services and premature deaths. There is a lack of research and knowledge about the effects of moving to low-carbon homes and the importance of effective ventilation, which result in many unintended consequences such as overheating.
The aim of the project is to propose cost effective scalable construction solutions and strategies that take account of human behaviours with the potential to improve the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and reduce overheating in new homes. The research will seek to analyse the factors that affect users comfort and wellbeing including indoor pollution and solar gain; and the barriers to potential remedies. The research will involve working with major home builder partners to conduct trials to monitor and record indoor air quality in unoccupied and occupied dwellings across the UK, gathering user’s feedback on thermal comfort and wellbeing and evaluating the data obtained to propose new methods than can cost effectively improve the indoor air quality and comfort in new developments.
This research will provide benefits to housing developers through avoiding costly complaints and litigation, as well as promote IAQ and resilience against overheating as key features of new homes. The practical knowledge and solutions will be used to drive the future of new home design to meet stringent climate change targets. In addition to this, there will be benefits for society through reduced costs to the health service associated with poor air quality such as asthma in children and premature deaths amongst the elderly due to overheating.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate who should have or be in the process of obtaining an excellent first degree (good 2:1 or above) or MSc degree with Distinction in a relevant Built Environment discipline (e.g. Architecture, Architectural Technology, Construction Management, Building Surveying, Building Services Engineering). The role will involve conducting literature review, analysis and IAQ monitoring of dwellings, surveys to occupants, comparative analysis of the results obtained and proposal of affordable incremental design and equipment modifications.

Thus applicants should demonstrate
Good knowledge of building performance, CAD software and Microsoft Office.
Experience in literature review, data collection and data analysis.
An ability to interact sensitively with companies and house occupants.
Good written and oral communication skills are essential.
Knowledge and experience of Energy performance software, scientific research and UK build residential would be an advantage.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship will start in September 2019 and no later than January 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

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Tall steel structure under wind load, fire and seismic force

Contact
For Informal academic enquiries please contact the academic supervisor, Dr Andy Lim (andy.lim@bcu.ac.uk) of the Computational Modelling Research Group, Centre of Engineering, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.
For all administrative enquiries please contact Bernadette Allen (bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk) from the Doctoral College, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.

Overview
This research project is a joint research collaboration between BCU and Chongqing Steel Structures as industrial partner, who specialize in the design and building of tall steel structures. Therefore, the aim of this project is to empower the study of disaster impact on tall steel building structures with the approach of multi-physics fluid-structure interaction (FSI). The research project will evaluate and analyze the behaviour and response of tall steel building structure under the impact of wind load, fire and/or seismic force with the approach of multi-physics FSI. The research project will also focus on the development of mathematical model and computational techniques in providing analytical solution to the studies. The outcome should contribute to designing an effective and safe building structure that could reduce the risk of disastrous failure under the multiphase impact conditions. These could also help in facilitating effective structural design in disaster reduction and failure to protect their lives, homes, livelihoods and assets. The proposed research project will pilot within the Chongqing region of China as the region is subject to intense earthquake and is highly populated with skyscrapers.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate who should have or be in the process of obtaining an excellent first degree (good 2:1 or above) or MSc degree with Distinction in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g. Civil, Material, Mechanical, Thermal, Earthquake, Mathematics or Physics). The role will involve structural design and analysis, computational mechanics, multi-physics numerical analysis, mathematical modelling and scientific computation.

Thus applicants should demonstrate
Good knowledge of structural design and analysis, computational modelling or scientific computation.
Experience in mathematical modelling, finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) would be advantageous.
Experience using ANSYS software or similar packages.
Good written and oral communication skills are essential.
Knowledge and experience of programming (Matlab, Python) would be an advantage.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship preferably would start in September 2019 and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

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Blockchain adoption and its implications on Supply Chain Performance

How to apply
The School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University is inviting applications for a PhD scholarship to start up from September 2019.
Scholarship Ref: EBE-052019-PhD-1
Closing date: 23:59pm, Monday 15 July 2019
The scholarship comprises, a full tuition fee at UK/EU rate and a stipend (equivalent to a standard EPSRC stipend, at present £15009 per annum) for a normal period of 3 years. International applicants are eligible to apply however they will need to meet the difference in fees from UK/EU to International rates.
Nationality: The studentship is available for UK, other EU or International students.

Academic supervisors
Dr Dimitra Kalaitzi, Lecturer in Logistics and Operations Management
Professor Ilias Oraifige, Head of Centre of Engineering

Contact information
For formal enquiries about this project contact Dr Dimitra Kalaitzi by email at dimitra.kalaitzi@bcu.ac.uk
If you require further information about the application process please contact Bernadette Allen from the Doctoral College by email at Bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk

Overview
Companies are facing difficulties in tracking products and getting information across multi-tiered global supply chains. For example, the 2013 Horse meat scandal revealed a major breakdown in the traceability of the food supply chain. This scandal had negative reputational and financial implications to retailers, such as Tesco, Lidl, and Aldi. Blockchain technology promises to manage complex international supply chains and improve supply chain transparency and visibility.
Most Blockchain deployments are still in the experimental stage; thus, there is a great need for understanding the important factors that influence Blockchain adoption in supply chain. Few studies have addressed the adoption of Blockchain from an organisational perspective in supply chains. There is no study that has conducted a holistic evaluation of the direct and indirect effects of the determinants on Blockchain adoption and its implications on supply chain performance.

Person specification
The successful candidate will preferably have an excellent first degree (good 2:1 or above); excellent relevant Master’s degree (Distinction) an advantage in the relevant subjects (i.e. Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Business Management, and Industrial & Systems Engineering). Applicants should have excellent English language skills, and satisfy the BCU PGR Admission requirements, i.e. valid English Language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent, with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0. Experience in the area of operations, supply chain management and Blockchain would be advantageous, but not essential.

How to apply
Applications should also be accompanied by a research proposal statement (an original proposal in not required, candidates should take this opportunity to show how their knowledge and experience will benefit the project by exploring briefly the relevant literature/ studies).
Details of how to submit your application and the necessary supporting documents can be found here: https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/our-phds/how-to-apply/application-process.

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Investigation of flow and heat transfer in micro channels using nano-fluids

How to apply
The closing date for applications is 12am on Wednesday 17 July 2019.
You can find details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply here – https://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/bsbe-research-degrees-phd-2019-20
When applying, please complete the online application form through the above provided link where you will be required to upload your proposal in place of a personal statement.

Contact
For Informal academic enquiries please contact the Director of Studies, Associate Professor Dr Noel Perera (noel.perera@bcu.ac.uk) of the Computational Modelling Research Group, Centre of Engineering, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.
For all administrative enquiries please contact Bernadette Allen (bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk) from the Doctoral College, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.

Overview
Cutting edge technologies are increasingly dependent on the safe dissipation of huge amounts of heat from very small areas. With the advancement of the semiconductor industry alongside hybrid vehicle power electronics and avionics, heat dissipation has become a critical factor in the development of more powerful miniaturised electronic devices. The increase in power, performance and heat flux per unit area of these miniaturised electronic devices have caused it to generate higher temperatures which requires advance cooling technologies. Conventional cooling systems cannot dissipate this excessive heat fast and effectively from the smaller surfaces. Hence more novel cooling systems are required to enhance the performance and life span of these electronic devices. Micro channels have become an essential alternative for cooling electronics due to its effective heat transfer capabilities, miniature size, high surface area-volume ratio and less working fluid demand. Coupling the use of nano-fluids which can deliver a higher heat transfer compared to conventional fluids such as water and ethylene glycol, can provide an enhanced heat transfer performance when compared to conventional cooling systems.
The objective of this research work will be to build a general purpose experimental test rig to assess the thermal performance, flow and pressure drop characteristics of the nano-fluid flow in a microchannel heat sink. The experiment will be carried out using selected nano-fluids of various volume concentrations. The effects of the thermophysical properties of the nano-fluid on the thermal performance and flow characteristics will also be investigated. Numerical methods using CFD will be used alongside experiments to investigate innovative designs of the microchannel. It is expected that the outputs of this project will further advance and support the development of the micro channel cooling capability.

Person specification
Cutting edge technologies are increasingly dependent on the safe dissipation of huge amounts of heat from very small areas. With the advancement of the semiconductor industry alongside hybrid vehicle power electronics and avionics, heat dissipation has become a critical factor in the development of more powerful miniaturised electronic devices. The increase in power, performance and heat flux per unit area of these miniaturised electronic devices have caused it to generate higher temperatures which requires advance cooling technologies. Conventional cooling systems cannot dissipate this excessive heat fast and effectively from the smaller surfaces. Hence more novel cooling systems are required to enhance the performance and life span of these electronic devices. Micro channels have become an essential alternative for cooling electronics due to its effective heat transfer capabilities, miniature size, high surface area-volume ratio and less working fluid demand. Coupling the use of nano-fluids which can deliver a higher heat transfer compared to conventional fluids such as water and ethylene glycol, can provide an enhanced heat transfer performance when compared to conventional cooling systems.
The objective of this research work will be to build a general purpose experimental test rig to assess the thermal performance, flow and pressure drop characteristics of the nano-fluid flow in a microchannel heat sink. The experiment will be carried out using selected nano-fluids of various volume concentrations. The effects of the thermophysical properties of the nano-fluid on the thermal performance and flow characteristics will also be investigated. Numerical methods using CFD will be used alongside experiments to investigate innovative designs of the microchannel. It is expected that the outputs of this project will further advance and support the development of the micro channel cooling capability.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship will start in September 2019. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

References
Etaig, Saleh, Hasan, Reaz and Perera, Noel (2018) A new effective viscosity model for nanofluids, International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 28 Issue: 3, pp.571‐583, DOI: 10.1108/HFF‐11‐2016‐0462
Etaig, Saleh, Hasan, Reaz and Perera, Noel (2018) Investigation of natural convection characteristics with Brownian motion effect using different nanofluids. Multiphase Science and Technology, Vol. 30, Issue: 2-3, pp. 135-152 DOI: 10.1615/MultScienTechn.2018024685
Etaig, Saleh, Hasan, Reaz and Perera, Noel (2017) Investigation of the flow characteristics of titanium-oxide-water nanofluid in microchannel with circular cross section. American Journal of Nano Research and Applications; 5(6) pp.102-109 DOI: 10.11648/j.nano.20170506.14

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Structural performance of cross laminated timber (CLT) buildings under dynamic load

Contact
For Informal academic enquiries please contact the academic supervisor, Dr Mohammad Reza Salami (mohammad.salami@bcu.ac.ukor +44 (0) 121 331 6417) of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Group, Centre of Engineering, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.
For all administrative enquiries please contact Bernadette Allen (bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk) from the Doctoral College, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.

Overview
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) has become a widely used engineered timber product, and the primary structural material for Mass Timber Construction, an approach that is expected to contribute substantially to reducing the CO2 emissions of the construction industry. With a growing number of CLT buildings appearing across Europe, interest in the system is increasing, particularly for mid-rise residential sector projects where traditional timber systems are not a cost-effective option. CLT is a renewable, green and sustainable material, which creates low carbon or carbon neutral developments. CLT is a relatively light building material which is a desirable quality for mid- and high-rise CLT building in particular in earthquake-prone regions in Europe or the US. While CLT is now frequently used for the mid-rise residential sector, the next step is to consider how CLT can apply to taller structures. However, high rise CLT construction remains unproven in seismic zones, while its novelty means that it has a limited track record under complex dynamic loads. This project aims to investigate the performance of mid- and high-rise CLT buildings under wind loads and seismic excitation. To do so, strong data from a full-scale shaking table test will be used to develop and validate structural computer models for CLT buildings. The project involves data processing/analysis of experimental investigations and developing/validating finite element (FE) models for CLT buildings.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate who should have or be in the process of obtaining an excellent first degree (a 2:1 or above) or MSc degree with Distinction, preferably in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g.Civil, Environmental or Chemical Engineering), or in Mathematics/Physics, or in Physical Geography, or in a related discipline. The role will involve field visits to obtain primary datasets through tracer tests, analyses of data, and development of a model.

Thus applicants should demonstrate
Good knowledge of dynamics, structural analysis, material behaviour, computer modelling and data processing using Matlab
Experience in structural modelling using OpenSees and ANSYS.
Good written and oral communication skills are essential.
Knowledge and experience of laboratory testing would be an advantage.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than January 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

References
[1] Ioannidou, V.G. & Pearson, J.M. (2018). ‘Hydraulic & Design Parameters in Full-Scale Constructed Wetland & Treatment Units: Six Case Studies’. Environmental Processes.
[2] Kjellin, J, Wörman, A, Johansson, H, & Lindahl, A. (2007). Controlling factors for water residence time and flow patterns in Ekeby treatment wetland, Sweden. Advances in Water Resources, 30(4), 838-850.
[3] Min, J. H. & Wise, R. W., (2009). Simulating short-circuiting flow in a constructed wetland: the implications of bathymetry and vegetation effects. Hydrological Processes, 23, 830-841.
[4] Nepf, H.M. (2012a). Flow and transport in regions with aquatic vegetation. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 44, 123-142.
[5] Shucksmith, J. D. (2008). Impact of vegetation in open channels on flow resistance and solute mixing. PhD Thesis. Sheffield.
[6] Somes, N.L.G., Persson, J. & Wong, T.H.F. (1998). Influence of Wetland Design Parameters on the Hydrodynamics of Stormwater Wetlands. Hydrastorm, Adelaide, 27-30 September, 1998, 123-128.
[7] Stovin, V.R., Grimm, J.P, & Lau, S.D (2008). Solute Transport Modeling for Urban Drainage Structures. ASCE, 134(8).
[8] Cowardin, L.M., Carter, V., Golet, F.C. and LaRoe, E.T., 1979. Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States. US Department of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service.

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An integrated approach to improve hydraulic and hydrologic design of constructed wetlands

Contact
For Informal academic enquiries please contact the academic supervisor, Dr Vasiliki Ioannidou (vasiliki.ioannidou@bcu.ac.uk) of the Environment & Policy Research Group, Centre of Engineering, School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.
For all administrative enquiries please contact Bernadette Allen (bernadette.allen@bcu.ac.uk) from the Doctoral College, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, Birmingham City University.

Overview
Subject description: The research subject Integrated Approach to Improve Hydraulic and Hydrologic Design of Constructed Wetlands includes the study of processes related to hydraulic criteria and mixing patterns for optimization of constructed wetlands efficiency and prediction of pollution mitigation into downstream waterways through quantification of hydrodynamics and transport processes.
Project Description: We are recruiting a PhD student on optimization of hydraulic criteria and hydrologic design of constructed wetlands. The student is expected to generate a unique database about treatment, mixing and physical characteristics of the systems obtained through field experiments, including tracer studies. Numerical modelling tools are to be applied on the validated obtained datasets of mixing, treatment and physical parameters.
The project will require field visits to collect data, analyses of data and development of a model to optimize the hydraulic design of the systems and the prediction of reduction of pollutant load based on the empirical datasets. It provides an excellent opportunity for the student to establish an international research profile in through parallel national and international projects and through our industrial collaborations with our external partners, including The Coal Authority, Constructed Wetland Association, Severn Trent, Thames21, and other partners.
Duties: The project will be conducted by the PhD student, together with supervisors and technical support personnel.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated candidate who should have or be in the process of obtaining an excellent first degree (good 2:1 or above) or MSc degree with Distinction preferably in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g.Civil, Environmental or Chemical Engineering), or in Mathematics/Physics, or in Physical Geography, or in a related discipline. The role will involve field visits to obtain primary datasets through tracer tests, analyses of data, and development of a model.

Thus applicants should demonstrate
Good knowledge of maths, hydraulics and hydrology.
Experience in analysing datasets.
Good written and oral communication skills are essential.
Knowledge and experience of lab/field work, and numerical/programming skills would be an advantage.

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Numerical modelization of the physics of wetlands

How to apply
The closing date for applications is 23.59 on Friday 28th June 2019.
To apply, please complete the project proposal form and then complete the online application where you will be required to upload your proposal in place of a personal statement.
You can find further details on studying for a PhD and details of how to apply here – https://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/bsbe-research-degrees-phd-2019-20
Reference: CEBE-NUMMOD

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
Wetlands (i.e., marshes, bogs, and swamps) “are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water” [8].
There is hence a whole spectrum of diverse types of wetlands, and it explains why modelizing a wetland is such a challenge. But they are known to be key in protecting the biodiversity: they provide shelters for plants and species, where breeding, and feeding occur [8]. Wetlands also have an immense value in flood protection and pollution control [4,6]. There is, consequently, a crucial need for understanding better the wetlands.

The project
The project will consist of creating a numerical model of a wetland. It will be solved using standard FEA techniques and software (ansys/fluent, openfoam, etc.). In particular, it will allow to quantify the hydraulic performance of the wetland, and possibly to derive an ad hoc model. It will be fitted and compared to the available experimental data. Validation of the model will be carried out.
In addition to this, the porosity of the plants as a medium will be investigated. The influence of various parameters will be quantified, including for example the inclination of plants with respect to the time of the year, the variation in the water velocity due to different flow regimes, and the wind interference. It will be carried out using uncertainty quantification techniques, such as chaos expansion or Sobol analysis, or by fitting the model on the data, using Bayesian techniques.
In order to validate the model, on site experimental field work may be arranged to obtain new datasets if required. The work is of high interest and importance to the Environmentalists, Water Authorities & Councils, Regulators, Modellers, Wetland Designers, and other relevant stakeholders

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in remote sensing, fluid mechanics, civil engineering, Computing and computational computing or closely related fields and have knowledge of environmental science and data processing.

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The potential of constructed wetlands to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution

Reference: CEBE-WETPOL

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting, in particular, of Dr Vasiliki Ioannidou (vasiliki.ioannidou@bcu.ac.uk) and Professor David Proverbs (david.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk). For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Dr Vasiliki Ioannidou (vasiliki.ioannidou@bcu.ac.uk).
The project is in collaboration with the Coal Authority, providing in-kind support through access to their facilities across the UK and obtained datasets as required.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
Storm water runoff typically contains and transports a wide range of pollutants, resulting in negative environmental effects with potential threats to ecosystems and health. Hundreds of runoff treatment ponds and constructed wetlands (CWs) intended to moderate these impacts are likely to be delivering sub‐optimal (and perhaps actually below legally required) levels of improvement in water quality due to poor understanding of flow patterns, hydraulic design parameters and the effects of vegetation. At the same time there is an increasing push to consider natural approaches to reducing flood risk. This is strongly supported by the EU Floods Directive, as the European Commission recognises that flooding is an increasing problem in Europe. This PhD research will generate a unique dataset to describe the influence of different types and configurations of aqueous system (i.e. CWs and ponds) hydraulic designs and vegetation on their fundamental flow, and treatment characteristics. Parallel aim of this PhD research is to quantify and assess the capability of CWs and ponds in the reduction of peak flows, in order to alleviate urban runoff during storm events. The proposed tools will ensure that future wetland and pond designs meet all their water quantity and quality requirements, and ecosystem services objectives for current legislation and the increasingly stringent EU regulatory framework anticipated over the next decade.

Person specification
An MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in civil engineering, hydraulics or water engineering. Knowledge of environmental science and flood risk management would also be useful.
For international candidates, a valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.

References
CIRIA (2007) The SUDS Manual, ISBN 978‐0‐86017‐697‐8.
Environment Agency (2012) Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems (RSuDS), ISBN: 978‐1‐84911‐277‐2.
German, J., Jansons, K., Svensson, G., Karlsson, D. & Gustafsson, L. G. (2005). Modelling of different measures for improving removal in a stormwater pond. Water Science & Technology, 52(5), 105-112.
Highways Agency (2006) Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Vol 4, Section 2, Pt 1, Vegetated Drainage Systems for Highway Runoff.
Ioannidou, V.G. & Arthur, S. (2018). Hydrological Response of a Permeable Pavement Laboratory Rig for Stormwater Management. Efficient Water Systems (EWaS) 3rd Conference, Lefkada Island, Greece, 27-30 June
Ioannidou, V.G. & Pearson, J.M. (2018). ‘Hydraulic & Design Parameters in Full-Scale Constructed Wetland & Treatment Units: Six Case Studies’. Environmental Processes.
Kjellin, J, Wörman, A, Johansson, H, & Lindahl, A. (2007). Controlling factors for water residence time and flow patterns in Ekeby treatment wetland, Sweden. Advances in Water Resources, 30(4), 838-850.
Min, J. H. & Wise, R. W., (2009). Simulating short-circuiting flow in a constructed wetland: the implications of bathymetry and vegetation effects. Hydrological Processes, 23, 830-841.
Nepf, H.M. (2012a). Flow and transport in regions with aquatic vegetation. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 44, 123-142.
Nepf, H.M. (2012b). Hydrodynamics of vegetated channels. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 50(3), 262-279. DOI: 10.1080/00221686.2012.696559.
Proverbs, D.G. Booth, C., Lamond, J. and Hammond, F. (2012) Solutions for climate change challenges of the built environment, Blackwell Publishing
Persson, J., Somes, N.L.G. & Wong, T.H.F. (1999). Hydraulics efficiency of constructed wetlands and ponds. Water Science and Technology, 40(3), 291-300.
SEPA, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (2003) “Ponds, Pools and lochans – Guidance on good practice in the management and creation of small waterbodies in Scotland” SEPA,SBN 1‐901322‐16‐5.
Shilton A. (2005) Pond Treatment Technologies, IWA Publishing.
Shucksmith, J. D. (2008). Impact of vegetation in open channels on flow resistance and solute mixing. PhD Thesis. Sheffield.
Somes, N.L.G., Persson, J. & Wong, T.H.F. (1998). Influence of Wetland Design Parameters on the Hydrodynamics of Stormwater Wetlands. Hydrastorm, Adelaide, 27-30 September, 1998, 123-128.
Stovin, V.R., Grimm, J.P, & Lau, S.D (2008). Solute Transport Modeling for Urban Drainage Structures. ASCE, 134(8). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2008)134:8(640)
Su, T.M., Yang, S.C., Shih, S.S. & Lee, H.Y. (2009). Optimal design for hydraulic efficiency on free-water-surface constructed wetlands. Ecological Engineering, 35, 1200-1207.

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Assessing the potential of using new technologies to supplement flood warnings and exposure assessment in areas at risk of surface water flooding

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Prof Wenyan Wu, Wenyan.wu@bcu.ac.uk, Dr Emma Bergin of Flood Re, emma.bergin@floodre.co.uk (industrial adviser) and Dr Florimond Gueniat, Florimond.Gueniat@bcu.ac.uk. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Prof Wenyan Wu, Wenyan.wu@bcu.ac.uk.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
There exist today a great many more data sources for flood monitoring and advances in technology which are now making it feasible for data to be used in a more dynamic way for flood forecasting. Historical approaches to forecasting flood extents have traditionally relied heavily on modelling approaches, which are frequently difficult to fully validate. Advances in drone technologies and other in-situ water sensors are expanding rapidly in terms of their usability and reliability. This project is jointly sponsored by BCU and FloodRe as industrial partner, who specialise in modelling improved spatial flood footprints to assist with loss estimation
This proposed research project aims to evaluate the reliability of the new technologies, such as low cost sensors with Drone and Satellite image and its potential to assimilate data in with other data. The study will assess the potential for improved spatial flood footprints to assist with loss estimation and consider in more detail the benefits to the local community through an improved view of localised flooding. The research project will pilot within the Midlands region as Birmingham was subject to intense surface water flooding in May 2018 and is known to be at risk from flooding.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in remote sensing, robotics Electronic, Computing, Control Engineering, and computational computing or closely related fields and have knowledge of sensor technology and wireless sensor network, image processing, communication and IoT technology.

References
Fava, M. et al, (2018) Flood modelling using synthesised citizen science urban streamflow observations, early view
Ochoa‐Rodríguez, S, Wang, L.P., Thraves, L., Johnston, A. and Onof, C. (2015) Surface water flood warnings in England: overview, assessment and recommendations based on survey responses and workshops, Journal of Flood Risk Management, 11/1
Speight,L. et al, (2016) Developing surface water flood forecasting capabilities in Scotland: an operational pilot for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Journal of Flood Risk Management, 11/2

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Using Virtual Reality games to encourage positive flood resilient behaviours among at risk property owners

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Dr Andrew Wilson, Dr Vahid Javidroozi and Professor David Proverbs. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Prof David Proverbs, david.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
Flooding is a global phenomenon which causes widespread devastation, economic damages and loss of human life (Jha, et al., 2012). The dramatic increase in average annual economic and social costs of flood disaster can, to a greater extent, be explained by the effect of climate change, population growth and the increasing urbanisation of societies (Evans et al., 2004; OST 2007). Fay et al (2009) asserted that floods currently account for half of the fatalities across the world arising from natural disasters. In particular, there now appears to be clear evidence that climate change will lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation and other weather events (IPCC, 2007, IPCC 2012). For the UK this may well result in wetter and stormier winters (UKCIP, 2009). As such, it is predicted that the risk of flooding will at least double by 2080 (Evans et al., 2004) and that annual average damages will rise to some £4 billion by 2035 (Environment Agency, 2009). It is widely argued that structural flood defences alone are not enough to tackle the level and types of flood risk currently being faced by floodplain residents and that there is a need for a paradigm shift to integrated flood risk management, by balancing structural and non-structural measures (Jha et al,. 2012). Under this paradigm homeowners need to take more responsibility for managing flood risk at an individual property level, if not for the purpose of reducing flood damage on their properties but at least to reduce the intangible impact of their households, by for example, adapting their properties to potential future flood risk (ABI, 2006, Pitt, 2008, Lloyd, 2008, ABI, 2008, Halcrow, 2009, Joseph et al., 2011a). Given that there are over 5million homes at risk of flooding in England and Wales alone, this represents a significant challenge.
In recent years, UK Government policy has tended towards the encouragement of local ownership of flood risk challenges as part of the devolution strategy and the localism agenda. Additionally, flood risk management approaches have moved away from hard engineering defences towards the concept of living with water and making space for water. This has seen a rise in the concept of resilience and with it towards more sustainable approaches to flood risk management. This focus on resilience has led to the promotion of property level flood resilience measures to help protect individual properties and importantly speed up the recovery / reinstatement process. Despite this and ongoing awareness raising campaigns and incentive schemes, there has hitherto been low up take of such measures within the at risk flood community. A number of barriers to uptake have been found to exist including cost, information, perception, appearance, psychological issues as well as a lack of expertise and advice on such interventions. Most property owners need professional, reliable and independent advice on the design and implementation of measures and interventions, taking into account the nature of flood risk, characteristics of the building and range of measures deemed appropriate. Previous research has found this expertise to be lacking among the professional guidance available.
Virtual, augmented and / or mixed reality solutions offers home owners or home builders a way of visualising and interacting with complex ‘what if‘ scenarios regarding managing home flood defences. This project will explore the use of virtual reality technologies to model the different risks factors that would typically be encountered in a vulnerable home. This will then result in the creation of a simulated environment where people can learn appropriate home flooding management strategies.

Proposal
To model the different scenarios that are typically associated with home flooding.
To explore and evaluate the application of how virtual and augmented technology can be used to raise awareness and support the take up of property level flood resilience.
To develop a fun, entertaining yet informative simulation to support decision making process when designing which range of flood resilience interventions to adopt given the circumstances of the property.
To provide guidance and training for experts (building surveyors, loss adjusters, etc) and other property professionals in advising property owners on which measures to adopt.
To measure and evaluate the educational effectiveness of the simulation.

Person specification
MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in Computer Games Technology / Design with skills in Unity or Unreal, C#, C++, knowledge of usability and user experience design and evaluation.
For international applicants, a valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.

References
Adediji, T., Proverbs, D. Xiao, H. Oladokun, V. (2018) Towards a conceptual framework for property level flood resilience, International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, Vol 8, No 4
Bhattacharya-Mis, N, Lamond, J. ,Chan, F., Kreibich, H, Montz, B. Proverbs, D. and Wilkinson, S. (2018) ’Flood risk to commercial property: Training and Education Needs of Built Environment Professionals, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, DOI 10.1108/IJDRBE-03-2017-0024
Girard, C., Ecalle, J., and Magnan, A. (2012) Serious games as new educational tools: how effective are they? A meta‐analysis of recent studies, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
Presa Reyes, M. and Chen, S. (2017) A 3D Virtual Environment for Storm Surge Flooding Animation, 2017 IEEE Third International Conference on Multimedia Big Data (BigMM)
Proverbs, D.G. and Lamond, J. (2017) Flood Resilient Construction and Adaptation of Buildings, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science, Oxford University Press, DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199389407.013.111
Lamond, J., Rose, C., Joseph, R. and Proverbs, D.G. (2016) Supporting the uptake of low cost resilience: summary of technical findings (FD2682), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Rose, C., Lamond, J. Dhonau, M., Joseph, R. Proverbs, D. (2016) Improving The Uptake Of Flood Resilience At The Individual Property Level, Special Issue of the International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, Vol 6, No. 3, pp 607-615. DOI 10.2495/SAFE-V6-N3-607-615

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The development of a framework to support the resilience of commercial properties to flooding

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Prof David Proverbs, david.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk and Dr Hong Xiao. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Prof David Proverbs, david.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
Government policy on flood risk and previous research on flood resilience have up to now mainly focused on residential properties. But greater attention is shifting to commercial properties and other critical infrastructure. According to the EA, 185,000 commercial properties are located in flood prone areas in England alone. These properties are valued at £801bn or 15.8% of the value of total buildings and 2.2 per cent of total assets in the UK (Bhattacharya, et al., 2013). Commercial properties have specific characteristics (size, scale, construction methods, business functions, customers, supply chain, etc.), and the financial loss from flooding to commercial properties can be significantly higher than that from the residential properties. This merits a targeted research on the resilience of commercial properties to flooding. This work would support the recently launched National Infrastructure Commission consultation to gather views as part of its new study into the resilience of the UK’s infrastructure network

Proposed Research
Review of BoK and literature around flood risk; impact on buildings; flood resilience; property level approaches; including UK and international knowledge and approaches
Development of new framework to help understand, improve and measure the resilience of commercial property to flooding
This will enable UK’s commercial properties to cope with future changes, disruptions, shocks and accidents – from increased risks of flooding due to climate change.

Person specification
Masters degree holders with a first degree in a relevant built environment subject such as building surveying / civil engineering / construction management / property management / real estate.
For international applicants, a valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.

References
Adediji, T., Proverbs, D. Xiao, H. Oladokun, V. (2018) Towards a conceptual framework for property level flood resilience, International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, Vol 8, No 4
Bhattacharya-Mis, N, Lamond, J. ,Chan, F., Kreibich, H, Montz, B. Proverbs, D. and Wilkinson, S. (2018) ’Flood risk to commercial property: Training and Education Needs of Built Environment Professionals, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, DOI 10.1108/IJDRBE-03-2017-0024
Lamond, J. , Bhattacharya-Mis, N, Chan, F., Kreibich, H, Montz, B. Proverbs, D. and Wilkinson, S. (2019) Flood risk insurance, mitigation and commercial property valuation, Property Management (in press)
Lamond, J., Rose, C., Joseph, R. and Proverbs, D.G. (2016) Supporting the uptake of low cost resilience: summary of technical findings (FD2682), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Proverbs, D.G. and Lamond, J. (2017) Flood Resilient Construction and Adaptation of Buildings, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Natural Hazard Science, Oxford University Press, DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199389407.013.111
Rose, C., Lamond, J. Dhonau, M., Joseph, R. Proverbs, D. (2016) Improving The Uptake Of Flood Resilience At The Individual Property Level, Special Issue of the International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering, Vol 6, No. 3, pp 607-615. DOI 10.2495/SAFE-V6-N3-607-615

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Establishing the correlation between mixing speed and biogas production in anaerobic digestion

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Dr Dominic Flynn, Dr Roshni Paul and Prof Lynsey Melville. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Dominic Flynn, (Dominic.Flynn@bcu.ac.uk).

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely used renewable energy technique to obtain biogas from biomass such as sewage sludge and other feedstock. Biogas production from AD is incredibly complex and is affected by factors such as mixing speed, impeller type, temperature and feedstock, to name a few. Mixing in AD reactors, or digesters, ensures that the microbes come into contact with the biomass and thus promote methane production through enhanced degradation mechanisms.
Mixing speed affects the rate of biogas production, although some research has shown that higher speeds have inhibited methane production. Sindall et al (2013) demonstrated a correlation between mixing speed and methane production in a lab-scale sewage sludge experiment. However, above a certain mixing speed, the methane production appeared to rapidly decrease. The hypothesis for this decrease was that small-scale turbulence was destroying the microbes and thus inhibiting methane production. This project seeks to determine the influence of small-scale turbulence on biogas production in lab-scale ADs for a range of feedstock. Data will be obtained using a combination of lab-based experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
Successful applicants will have graduated (or be due to graduate) with an undergraduate first class degree and/or MSc distinction in a relevant engineering subject. Applicants must also demonstrate knowledge of AD or CFD

References
Sindall, R., Bridgeman, J. and Carliell-Marquet, C., 2013. Velocity gradient as a tool to characterise the link between mixing and biogas production in anaerobic waste digesters. Water Science and Technology, 67(12), pp.2800-2806
Terashima, M., Goel, R., Komatsu, K., Yasui, H., Takahashi, H., Li, Y.Y. and Noike, T., 2009. CFD simulation of mixing in anaerobic digesters. Bioresource technology, 100(7), pp.2228-2233.

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Effective communications for resilient water communities

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Prof David Proverbs, Prof Wenyan Wu, (both from CEBE); and Dr Eirini Mavritsaki and Dr Panagiotis Rentzelas of the Centre for Applied Psychological Research. The project will also draw on industrial support from Severn Trent Water and the Consumer Council for Water. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Prof David Proverbs, david.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
The typical water consumer has low engagement with water, sewerage and related environmental services. This matters, because the water resource context is changing. There are forecast water deficits in some areas and at the same time an increased risk of flooding due to changing weather patterns. To offset this, and support water resilient communities, people are being asked to use less water, but tend to have low understanding of the issues behind this.
While there is low engagement with services, analysis of user generated content on platforms such as Instagram shows that people can have a strong emotional connection with the water environment. For example, people will post images or references to quality times spent in the outdoors enjoying rivers, lakes and bathing waters.

Research gap
This shows that water in the environment is for many, linked to a range of positive experiences and emotions. Previous research consistently finds that most people have low levels of understanding about how these fit into a bigger picture of water resources, or that revenue from these services contributes to aspects of the water environment that enhances quality of life and enables water resilient communities.
The study of emotions and how they drive behaviour is established in the fields of psychology, behavioural sciences, and marketing. In terms of brands and marketing, communications have been found to have a greater impact if they make an emotional connection as emotions are known to power decision making. However, the role of emotions does not appear to have been tested in terms of communications in the water sector, to see if this could enhance awareness and engagement with water and sewerage services, and better inform water resilient communities.
The research gap is to identify whether, in the water sector context, communications which seek to establish an emotional connection are effective in terms of increasing engagement, and raising awareness which can lead to behaviour change.

Key research questions
Do people generally have a subconscious/emotional connection with the water environment?
If so, what are these emotional connections based on and how are they expressed?
How can this be translated into communications and messages for the water sector, i.e. about water resources, to support water resilient communications and encourage behaviour change?
How well do emotion based communications work in practice, compared to existing examples used by the industry?
How could this be further developed into a rigorous communications testing exercise for water and sewerage services and water resilient communities?

Principal beneficiaries and partners
Water companies and industry stakeholders, consumers, the environment.

Person specification
MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in psychology, cognitive psychology or behavioural science. Previous experience in the domain of water and the environment would be desirable.
For international candidates, a valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.

References
Cheung, J., Vazquez, D. & Conway, T., (2019), Social Commerce: Consumer Behaviour in Online Environments. Blazquez-Cano, M., Boardman, R., Henniger, C. & Ryding, D. (eds.). 1st ed. Springer
Environment Agency (2019) National Drought Group – EA Chairman’s Statement – March 2019, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-drought-group-ea-chairmans-statement-march-2019
Lu, L., Deller, D. and Price, M. (2018) Price and Behavioural Signals to Encourage Household Water Conservation in Temperate Climates, UEA Working Paper

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Design planning and modelling of urban area in mitigating the risk of flood and drought with the application of CFD

Contact
The successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary research team, consisting of Dr Andy Lim, Andy.lim@bcu.ac.uk, Prof Wenyan Wu, Wenyan.wu@bcu.ac.uk and Prof David Proverbs, David.proverbs@bcu.ac.uk. For further information please contact the Director of Studies, Dr Andy Lim, Andy.lim@bcu.ac.uk.

Funding notes
The opportunity is open to Home, EU and International applicants who meet the required Birmingham City University eligibility criteria. The PhD studentship includes a full stipend, paid for a period of 3 years at RCUK rates (in 2019/20 this is £15,009 pa) and fees at Home/EU rate. This studentship is available for September 2019 start and no later than February 2020. International applicants are eligible to apply for this studentship but must meet the shortfall on fees between Home/EU and International rate.

Overview
The rapid development of urban areas and climate change are becoming a major concern in threatening the increased intensity and frequency of flooding and drought. Such act will be exacerbating more impacts to businesses and residents especially on the affected areas. There is a need of improving the catchment area and connectivity of the water transport system in mitigating the issue of surface water flood that could channel to a storage for later use during drought season. With the advancement of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), this proposed research project is motivated to incorporate the numerical techniques of CFD in the design and planning process of mitigating the issue of flooding and drought. The study covers the analysis of surface water flooding and improvement of water transport system during the occurrence of flood in the urban area with the potential of integrating artificial waterway as an alternative solution to drought. At such, this research project will brings great relevance within the West Midland regions especially in the urban areas that are known to be at high risk from flooding and drought.

Person specification
A valid English language qualification, such as International English Language Test System (Academic IELTS) or equivalent with an overall score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0, must be submitted with your application.
MSc or equivalent professional or research experience in flood and drought risk management, urban flooding, civil engineering, water and environmental engineering and computational modelling or closely related fields having the knowledge of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite volume method and programming.

References
Carly B. Rose, Luke Walker, “Inland Waterway Systems – a Solution to drought and flooding issues”, Water Resources in the Built Environment: Management Issues and Solutions, Chapter 14, Wiley, March 2014.
Councillor Liz Clements, “Managing the risk and response to flooding in Birmingham”, September 2018.
D. R. Shukla and K. Shiono, “CFD modelling of meandering channel during floods”, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Water Management, 2008.
Houda Nouasse, Lala Rajaoarisoa, Arnaud Doniec, Eric Duviella, Karine Chuquet, Pascale Chiron, Bernard Archimède, “Study of drought impact on inland navigation systems based on a flow network model”, International Conference on Information, Communication and Automation Technology, 2015.
James Andrew Griffiths, Fangfang Zhu, Faith Ka Shun Chan, David Laurence Higgitt, “Modelling the impact of sea-level rise on urban flood probability in SE China”, Geoscience Frontiers, 2018.
Rabih Ghostine, Georges Kesserwani, José Vazquez, Nicolas Rivière, Abdellah Ghenaim, Robert Mose, “Simulation of supercritical flow in crossroads: Confrontation of a 2D and 3D numerical approaches to experimental results”, Computers & Fluids, 2009.
S. Haider, A. Paquier, R. Morel, and J.-Y. Champagne, “Urban flood modelling using computational fluid dynamics”, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Water and Maritime Engineering, 2003.