PhD Opportunity in
Next-generation Metafoundations for Enhanced Seismic Protection of Nuclear Power Plants considering Soil-Structure Interaction
Prof. Oreste Bursi, Full Professor at the University of Trento (Italy) and Dr. Davide Noè Gorini, Assistant Professor at the University of Trento, are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join their research group on Hazard protection of Civil Engineering Structures.
The research project aims to advance the frontiers of Earthquake Engineering, Strucrtural and Geotechnical Engineering, and Metamaterials/Metastructures. The selected PhD candidate will contribute to the design of cutting-edge 3D seismic protection solutions for next generation Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
The path leverages the dynamic interaction of NPPs with the surrounding soil (Soil-Structure Interaction, SSI) to enhance seismic protection. The focus will be on innovative finite lattice metamaterial-based foundation systems using shallow metafoundations inspired by locally resonant metastructures for efficient protection of NPPs under complex seismic loading, including vertical ground motion.
The ultimate goal is to establish a thermodynamic-based framework for the high-fidelity analysis and design of next-generation SSI-driven metafoundations to ensure enhanced seismic protection of NPPs.
The ideal candidate should have a strong background in Structural or Geotechnical Engineering, with knowledge of dynamic soil-structure interaction and numerical modeling. Experience in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and AI-driven computational methods is highly desirable. Proficiency in tools such as OpenSees, ABAQUS, Comsol Multiphysics, MATLAB/Simulink is particularly valued. More broadly, candidates with advanced programming skills are encouraged to apply.
This highly multidisciplinary project will benefit from a strong partnership with Prof. James Ricles and his research group (University of Lehigh, U.S.). Accordingly, the project also offers the possibility of spending a period abroad.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for candidates with:
· Master’s degree in Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related field and strong motivation for both computational and experimental research;
· Background in numerical modelling and programming;
· Experience with soil-structure interaction and analysis of dynamic problems;
· Advanced level of English and collaborative skills.
Contract
· Position: PhD studentship
· Duration: three years
· Location: Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
· Opportunity to spend a research period abroad
· Start date: November 2025
· End date: October 2028
Application process
The call and information about the public competition are available at the following links:
- PhD Program;
Applications should be submitted through this link. The deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 4:00 PM (CET).
Should you require any additional information, do not hesitate to reach out at: oreste.bursi [at] unitn.it (oreste[dot]bursi[at]unitn[dot]it); davidenoe.gorini [at] unitn.it (davidenoe[dot]gorini[at]unitn[dot]it)