Physical and numerical modelling (with CFD software OpenFOAM) of scour phenomena at hydraulic structures

Department

DESTEC – Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering

Main research activities/topics/projects

Jet-driven scour phenomena are challenging problems that are still far from being fully understood. Excessive scour can lead to structural collapse, thus representing a serious risk for human lives and activities. Current design criteria for most of hydraulic structures are empirical, i.e., they lack general validity and do not account for the complexity of in-situ conditions/scenarios. Therefore, numerical simulations can be extremely helpful in providing important and unprecedented insights on the physics of scour mechanisms. The prospective PhD candidate/Post Doc will focus on simulating scour processes at different hydraulic structures using the CFD software OpenFOAM. Furthermore, he/she will also conduct experimental tests to corroborate the validity of numerical results. The aim is to provide reliable results that may improve existing design criteria for a large range of hydraulic structures. The fields of research are hydraulics and hydraulic structures.

Working language

English and/or Italian.

Duration in months (min-max)

PhD sandwich:  9-12

Post Doc: 6-12