PhD Studentship: Low Whole Life Carbon Cementitious Repair Materials

About the role

The University of Cambridge offers a four-year (1+3 MRes/PhD) studentship in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT), funded in collaboration with M Group, an infrastructure services provider active in transport, energy, water and telecommunications. The project focuses on low whole-life carbon cementitious repair materials for existing infrastructure, which currently accounts for about half of construction spend and is largely carbon intensive.

Key responsibilities

• Explore advanced, low-carbon cementitious repair materials (grouts, mortars and concrete) together with tailored functional additives and admixtures.
• Address challenges with commercially available repair materials and focus on practical, low-hanging fruit applications.
• Use case studies from M Group, including National Highways frameworks, the Lewes derailment repairs, the Redbridge Causeway refurbishment and soil nailing grout applications to prevent landslides.
• Carry out material characterisation, mix design development, coupled thermodynamic and reactive transport modelling, accelerated ageing, mechanical and durability testing, and potentially large-scale trials and validation.

Required profile

• A high 2.1 degree, preferably at Masters level, in Civil Engineering, obtained by the start date.
• Strong interest in cementitious materials and experimental work.
• Fully-funded studentships (fees and maintenance) are available first to eligible home students; a limited number of international students may be considered later.

Applications are made online through the University of Cambridge Applicant Portal, quoting the project title and supervisor's name, with a £20 application fee. Early applications are strongly encouraged.