Postdoctoral researcher position in geotechnics

Offer Description
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Title of the project: Study of the consequences of ground movements on structures and infrastructures – numerical soil-structure interaction analysis
Keywords: Soil-Structure Interaction, Sinkhole, Numerical modelling, Reliability Analysis
Project context:
This postdoctoral position is offered as part of the European SIRIMA project (Sinkhole Hazard and Risk Management in Post-Mining Areas), funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS-2023). The SIRIMA project aims to enhance knowledge and expertise regarding uncontrolled ground movements, particularly sinkholes in post-mining areas, and to reduce the associated risks. These sinkholes pose a real threat to buildings, technical infrastructure, roads and other utility facilities, while also endangering public safety, causing anxiety and stress.
The SIRIMA project partners include the Central Mining Institute (GIG, Poland), INERIS (France), BRGM (France), DMT-LB (Germany), SRK S.A. (Poland), the Institute of Rock Mechanics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Poland), Subterra Ingenieria (Spain), Université de Lorraine (France), and GEODERIS (France).
Project description:
In a risk management approach, it is essential to assess and map the level of risk of structures exposed to ground movements related to mining activities, in order to distinguish those with an acceptable level of risk from those requiring a reinforced monitoring and mitigation of their vulnerability.
The study of consequences of ground movements on structures and infrastructures (buildings, buried pipelines, etc.) requires considering the phenomena of soil-structure interaction. These phenomena have been studied using different approaches: numerical, analytical and physical models (El Kahi et al., 2020-1-2-3; Basmaji et al., 2017; Cai et al., 2017; Saeidi et al., 2025-1-2; Serhal et al., 2016). However, existing studies are faced with the difficulty of taking into account numerous uncertainties related to models and measurements which nevertheless have major effects on the final results. This makes it difficult to apply existing results and methods to real situations as an operational and engineering assessment approach. Thus, the consideration of uncertainties in the study of the vulnerability of structures affected by ground movements will constitute one of the originalities and scientific contribution of the project.
This project aims to study the interaction between structures and ground movements, in order to improve risk prevention and reduce the associated consequences. The research will be based on numerical modelling coupled with numerous observations of ground movements (mainly sinkholes) conducted in different European basins. More specifically, we are interested in the study of soil-structure interaction phenomena (ISS) which consider the rigidity of the ground and that of the structure (buildings and buried pipelines) to better assess the movements transmitted to the structure and their consequences (malfunctions or damage). The idea is to end up with a simple but valid model allowing to study many configurations, to carry out sensitivity studies and to evaluate the influence of uncertainties on the results. The results will be valued by means of the development of fragility curves which constitute an operational approach to assess damages in a context of uncertainty (Serhal et al., 2016).
The objective is to develop operational and easy to use charts for estimation of the level of damage of structures exposed to the ground movements (subsidence, sinkhole, uplift, etc.). 2D and/or 3D numerical models (using Plaxis software) will be developed in order to study the soil-structure interaction. The models will be validated through the available and upcoming data related to the monitoring of ground movements and impacted structures. This step can be reinforced by realizing some physical (small scale) models. The project will then focus on considering uncertainties in order to develop meta models which then will be used more easily for a reliability approach. The aim will be to evaluate the probability of failure (or having a specific level of damage) of exposed structures according to the context in which they are located. The obtained results will be presented though fragility curves which will let, for a specific structure in a specific context, the estimation of the probability of having a particular level of damage.
References
Basmaji B., Deck O., Al Heib M., 2017. Analytical model to predict building deflections induced by ground movements. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 23, 409-431.
Cai Y., Verdel T., Deck O., 2017. Using plane frame structural models to assess building damage at a large scale in a mining subsidence area, European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 24, 283-306.
El Kahi, E., Deck, O., Khouri, M., Mehdizadeh, R., Rahme, P., 2020. Simplified probabilistic evaluation of the variability of soil-structure interaction parameters on the elastic transmission of ground movements. Engineering Structures. 213, 110554.
El Kahi, E., Deck, O., Khouri, M., Mehdizadeh, R., Rahme, P., 2020. A new simplified meta-model to evaluate the transmission of ground movements to structures integrating the elastoplastic soil behavior. Structures. 23, 324-334.
El Kahi, E., Deck, O., Khouri, M., Mehdizadeh, R., Rahme, P., 2020. Influence of geometrical uncertainties of analytical modelling on the evaluation of building deflections induced by ground movements. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering.
Saeidi A., Deck O. et Verdel T., 2015. An extension of analytical methods for building damage evaluation in subsidence regions to anisotropic beams, European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering.
Saeidi A., Deck O., Verdel T., 2015. Development of a damage simulator for the probabilistic assessment of buildings vulnerability in subsidence areas, Int. J. of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science, Volume 73, 42–53.
Serhal J., Deck O., Al Heib M., Hage Chehad F., Youssef Abdelmassih D., 2016. Damage of masonry structures relative to their properties: development of fragility curves, Computers and Geotechnics, 113.
Main tasks of the project: numerical modelling (8 months), development of metamodels (2 months), exploitation of results (5 months), writing and editing scientific articles (4 months), participation in national and international conferences as well as SIRIMA meetings (1 month), and preparing the project report (4 months).
Supervisors: Assoc. prof. Rasool MEHDIZADEH ([email protected]) and prof. Olivier DECK ([email protected])
Researcher profile: Recognised researcher (R2)
Required education level: PhD in civil-geotechnical engineering
Research field: Civil Engineering, Geotechnics, Soil-Structure Interaction Analysis
Type of contract: Temporary, full time (35 hours a week), with a gross salary of 2400€ to 2800€ per month, depending on experience and qualifications of the candidate.
Start date of the project: March/April 2025
Duration: 1 year, with the possibility of extension for a second year
Deadline for submitting your online application: January 6th, 2025
How to apply: https://forms.gle/XivUayGZq2jwAksh9
Hiring organization: Université de Lorraine – GeoRessources laboratory, campus Artem, Nancy, France (http://georessources.univ-lorraine.fr/fr)
Sources of funding: European SIRIMA project, funded by RFCS-2023 (Project 101157400)
Required languages: English (Advanced), French (Intermediate)
Eligibility criteria: as our laboratory is classified as a “sensitive laboratory with reinforced protection”, the final recruitment of the selected candidate will be subject to the acceptance of his/her administrative file by the Security and Defense Project Manager.
Selection process: the required documents for the online application include an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), one or two recommendation letters, and the abstract of your PHD thesis. An interview of selected candidates will be organized during January-February 2025.

Where to apply
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Website https://forms.gle/XivUayGZq2jwAksh9

Requirements
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Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering
Education Level PhD or equivalent
Languages ENGLISH
Level Excellent
Languages FRENCH
Level Basic
Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering
Internal Application form(s) needed
Postdoctoral researcher position in geotechnics at Université de Lorraine_0.pdfEnglish(314.39 KB – PDF)Download

Additional Information
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Eligibility criteria
as our laboratory is classified as a “sensitive laboratory with reinforced protection”, the final recruitment of the selected candidate will be subject to the acceptance of his/her administrative file by the Security and Defense Project Manager.
Selection process
the required documents for the online application include an updated Curriculum Vitae (CV), one or two recommendation letters, and the abstract of your PHD thesis. An interview of selected candidates will be organized during January-February 2025.

Work Location(s)
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Number of offers available 1
Company/Institute GeoRessources-Ecole des Mines de Nancy
Country France
State/Province Nancy
Postal Code 54042
Street 92 Rue du Sergent Blandan, BP 14234, 54042 Nancy

Contact
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City Nancy
Website http://georessources.univ-lorraine.fr/fr
Postal Code 54042
E-Mail [email protected]