PhD project: Railway Asset Degradation and Management Modelling for Climate Change

Overview

This doctoral research opportunity focuses on railway asset degradation and management modelling under the influence of climate change. Hosted by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham and supervised by Rasa Remenyte-Prescott, the project addresses how environmental factors accelerate the deterioration of railway bridges, which serve as critical infrastructure for Network Rail across Britain. The work aims to integrate climate-dependent parameters and regional climate projections, specifically using UK Climate Projections alongside probabilistic degradation models to capture uncertainty and environmental variability in bridge components.

Who can apply

The position is open to UK, European Union, and overseas students. Applicants must hold a first-class degree in engineering, mathematics, or a relevant discipline, preferably at the master's level, though a 2.1 degree may be considered under exceptional circumstances. Candidates should be enthusiastic graduates prepared to start their studies in October 2027.

Requirements

The project requires applicants to investigate how increased traffic demand, ageing structural systems, and changing environmental exposure conditions impact bridges. The selected researcher will develop an approach that incorporates physics-based formulations with probabilistic models to simulate processes such as corrosion, thermal cycling, and coating degradation. The methodology will account for interdependencies to provide system-level variability in condition-state evolution, ranging from baseline ageing to pessimistic climate change scenarios that indicate accelerated deterioration.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is January 21, 2027. The position remains open until filled, and the starting date for the project is October 2027.