PhD Scholarship in Cathodic Protection for Reinforced Concrete (NETHERLANDS)

Job description

The PhD project is in the field of corrosion and protection in civil structures. Steel corrosion in reinforced concrete structures is a major concern in civil engineering. One technique dealing with this increasingly important issue is Cathodic Protection (CP), impressed current or sacrificial. The impressed current CP is the only technique that works for highly aggressive environments, however, some of the drawbacks of CP include high cost and durability issues of the commonly used anodes. The problem arises from reduced bond strength between anode/concrete cover and/or cementitious overlay/anode, resulting from the common anodic reactions (involving acidification) and the influence of the external environment (Cl-, SO4 2-). This project’s primary goal is increasing the durability of the aforementioned interfaces by means of a self-healing mechanism. The major challenge is autonomous self-healing of the concrete cover and/or the outer cementitious overlay by using a controlled release of an

active substance, present in hybrid nano/micro aggregates, initially added to the mixtures. The research also aims at broadening the application of the self-healing cement-based layer for applications other than CP installations, i.e. civil structures subjected to Ca leaching, where such effects lead to environmental and health risks.

Requirements

The candidate for this position should have a Master degree in chemistry, chemical engineering or materials science with a specialisation in electrochemistry and/or corrosion, polymer chemistry or materials technology. Of particular interest are candidates with additional knowledge in the fields of cement chemistry, thermodynamics, and numerical modelling. The candidate will work in an inspiring team of researchers with international qualifications. The workplace will be the Materials and Environment group in the Civil Engineering and Geosciences Faculty of Delft University of Technology.

Conditions of employment

TU Delft offers an attractive benefits package, including a flexible work week, free high-speed Internet access from home, and the option of assembling a customised compensation and benefits package (the 'IKA'). Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.

Information and application

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. D. A. Koleva, phone: +31 (0)15-2787451, e-mail: d.a.koleva@tudelft.nl. To apply, please e-mail a detailed CV and a letter of application by 20 March 2011 to Dr. Koleva, Recruitment-CiTG@tudelft.nl.
When applying for this position, make sure to mention vacancy number CITG10-19.

Factsheet

Department/faculty	Civil Engineering and Geosciences
Level	Master degree
Hours per week	38
Location	Delft
Contract	4 years
Salary	€2042 to €2612 per month gross
Closing date	20-03-2011
Vacancy nr.	CITG10-19

Information

For more information about this job, please contact Dr. D. A. Koleva , Researcher.

T +31 (0)15-2787451
E d.a.koleva@tudelft.nl

For more information about the application procedure, please contact Dr. D.A. Koleva/Design & Construction.

E Recruitment-CiTG@tudelft.nl