Two PhD Positions in Earthquake Engineering in Zürich

The of ETH Zurich has two openings for PhD students in seismic design of rocking bridges with flexible restrainers. These PhDs are part of a Swiss NSF funded project.

Rocking structures have survived in earthquake-prone regions for more than 2500 years. This suggests that rocking structural systems can be used for the seismic design of bridges. Even though unrestrained rocking systems (i.e. dry construction without any tendons) have been proven resilient, the concept of redundancy demanded by engineering practice requires some sort of connection between the dry elements. In this project, we will connect the structural parts with tendons in series with springs. you can see a video. The springs reduce the overall stiffness of the system and serve as a form of seismic isolation. We will perform large-scale structural tests, both static (in the ETH) and on a shake table (in NTU Athens) and also numerically explore different aspects of the seismic behaviour of such structures. The aim is to bring rocking systems with flexible restraining systems closer to practice. 

The tasks that will be split between the two students involve a) Design and execution of the static and dynamic tests; b) Numerical work with Matlab; c) Numerical work with Abaqus. 

You should hold an MSc in Civil Engineering (or equivalent), have a strong background in Mechanics and Structural Engineering, and have the willingness to work both in the lab and numerically. Proficiency in written and oral English is required – German speaking skills are not necessary. Most importantly, candidates should enjoy research and be self-motivated.

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to an exciting working environment, cultural diversity and attractive offers and benefits.