Are you a dynamic and highly motivated researcher in durability of cementitious materials? Are you an ambitious researcher looking for a new and exciting challenge as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the field of cement and concrete technology? Do you want to explore the factors controlling the long-term performance of the next generation of concretes produced with natural supplementary cementitious materials?

As part of an exciting, multi-disciplinary, US-UK research project RENACEM, led in the UK by Prof. Susan A. Bernal, the successful applicant will generate fundamental knowledge, identifying factors controlling changes in mineralogy, phase assemblage, and microstructure of natural SCM-cement blends. They will examine the effects of mix design and CO₂ exposure conditions, and their influence on the mechanical stability of concrete. This will be achieved by (i) Determining CO₂ diffusivity and the potential changes induced by CO₂ exposure in the pore structure of cement and concrete; (ii) Investigating the chemical reactions between CO₂ and the hydration products forming in blended cements as a function of exposure conditions (natural vs. accelerated carbonation) and (iii) Establishing a correlation between microstructural changes induced by carbonation and degradation of the mechanical properties of concrete specimens.

The successful applicant will conduct the research at the UKCRIC National Centre for Infrastructure Materials at the University of Leeds, in collaboration with project partners at the University of Sheffield and the University of Texas at Austin.

Holding a first degree and doctoral degree (or close to completion) in Civil, Materials, Environmental, Chemical Engineering or a closely allied discipline, you will have extensive experience in assessing durability of cementitious materials, microstructural characterisation of cementitious materials using advanced analytical techniques, evaluation of physical and mechanical properties of cement and concrete. Experience in thermodynamic or multi-physics modelling applied to cementitious materials is also desirable.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Prof. Susan A. Bernal, Chair in Structural Materials & EPSRC Early Career Fellow 

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 39415 or via
email: S.A.BernalLopez@leeds.ac.uk

Additional Information

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Location: Leeds - Main Campus
Faculty/Service:  Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences
School/Institute:  School of Civil Engineering
Category:  Research Grade:  Grade 7
Salary:  £33,797 to £40,322 p.a.
Working Time:  37.5 hours per week
Post Type:  Full Time
Contract Type:  Fixed Term (24 months due to grant funding) Release Date:  Tuesday 25 February 2020
Closing Date:  Thursday 26 March 2020
Interview Date:  To be confirmed
Reference:  EPSCV1017
Downloads:  Candidate Brief